We Accidentally Started A Chocolate Company — Now It Brings In $162 Million A Year

If Tony's Chocolonely founder Teun van de Keuken had his way, he would've ended up behind bars long before he created his popular chocolate company. The crime? Fueling slavery by knowingly purchasing a chocolate bar made with illegal child labor. Nearly 20 years later, Tony's Chocolonely is not only one of the most popular chocolate brands in van de Keuken's native Netherlands, it is known around the world.

Produced by: Beatriz Bajuelos
Supervising Producer: Jessica Leibowitz
Camera: Federico Campanale
Editor: Dennis Donovan
Animator: Gene Kim
Narrator: Nicolas Vega
Senior Production Manager: Kathryn Mavrikakis
Additional Footage: Getty Images, Tony's Chocolonely
Special Thanks: Mickey Todiwala, Marisa Forziati

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We Accidentally Started A Chocolate Company — Now It Brings In $162 Million A Year

[tomr]

Tony's has been founded in the Netherlands and we've eaten it here for over 10 years. Initially it had very ethical business principles at its' core, but even the original founder said that after losing control/selling the company to other business people, it turned more into greenwashing rather than staying true to the initial goal of eradicating slave labour and child labour form the production chain.

[arzotravels]

Nestle tries to end child labor 😅. Right, Nestle is one of the worst companies out there with total disregard for any human rights.

[KaneshaDi]

What I have taken from this video is this: Whenever anyone makes an effort to do the right thing, especially in regards to the well-being of other human beings. They find that it is not always easy. There are going to be hurdles and missteps along the way. I will give Tony's Chocoloney credit for at least caring enough to want to do something that gives these Coco Bean farmers a chance to make better wages for the work that they do.

[funkibudentertainment]

Tony's chocolate tastes like what cadbury's chocolate used to taste like before it was bought by another multinational. Tastes fantastische compared to all the mass market chocolates on the market

[JavenarchX]

To compare any chocolate to Hershey's is rediculous... Hershey's is not chocolate.

[xliuhxh]

I'm an Australian living in the US temporarily, and I'm not a fan of US made chocolate, US chocolate has a weird texture and harsh taste. I stumbled across Tony's and the taste is more like Australian chocolate - it was love. So glad they sell it here!

[oneand]

Education, and this video is going to boost their sales. Because people like me now understand the name and product. I knew there was something unusual about it, but did not know what until this video.

[tjnorrisofficial]

I first was introduced to this brand perhaps three years ago. Loved it from the start. This doc made it even more compelling when reaching for a bar in the future.

[bokisuba]

We just visited Amsterdam and as a welcome gift, hotel gave my daughter one of these Tonys bars (milk chocolate). What caught my wifes and mine attention immediately was "fun" and bright packaging, which is brilliant idea by their marketing dept. Also, chocolate itself was genuinely very good and now I would buy it in a store for sure over "big brand" guys.

[jj-ifit]

I love Tony's! I'm pretty much obsessed with the sea salt flavour. You can tell it's high quality and I love supporting a fellow Dutch business owner

[FG]

Tony's is great! Tried their chocolate at an airport once and knowing what they do completely converted me to making them my favourite brand.

[krisb-travel]

i thought it was funny that the pieces of chocolate in the bar represent the inequalities in the chocolate industry and the piece that had TONYS on it was the biggest lmao

[darkglass]

If the taste of their product is superior to their competitors on the market, I have no problem paying the extra cost for their chocolate.

[BushMann]

I recently tried this brand and I love it. It's delicious. I will gladly pay more for the best. Thanks for your efforts trying to minimize exploitation.😊

[PatriciainOz]

I am a happy Tony's Chocoloney consumer I have made a point to reach out and share the progress. There is a lot of small chocolatiers in SF Bay Area they could easily source from Tony's 5% fund .

[davidjaslow]

I have pretty much given up on chocolate. The quality has decline rapidly since I was a kid in the 1960’s I’m am going to buy Tony’s to support a living wage.

[anniecouture]

My son turned me on to this chocolate years ago! I love it! I buy at Target.

[michaelrichards]

My town has only 3500 people but our Rite Aide has these Candy Bars. Ive tried a couple years ago and like the Bars. Pick one up... the Bars are heavy.. 👍👍👍

[posthocprior]

Why isn’t the manufacturing and processing also done in west Africa?

[peakingmantis]

You can accidentally start loving chocolate or accidentally find out your good at making it. But to accidentally start a company? No that is not an accident LOL.