There is a specific kind of frustration that comes with unwrapping a bar of Tony’s Chocolonely.
If you’ve ever tried to share one, you know exactly what I mean. While almost every other chocolate brand in the world is divided into neat, predictable little squares, Tony’s is a jagged, chaotic puzzle of uneven chunks. It’s hard to break, it’s messy to split, and if you're like me you usually end up with a tiny sliver while someone else gets a massive block.
But as we start this second day of 2026, I want to tell you why that frustration is actually a masterpiece of design. It’s not a mistake. It’s a physical map of the truth.
The Inequality You Can Touch
The uneven shapes in a Tony’s bar represent the cocoa-growing regions of West Africa. The jagged lines are there to remind us, through the simple act of eating, that the profits in the chocolate industry are not shared equally.
For decades, the "Big Choco" giants have reaped billions while the farmers in Ghana and Ivory Coast—who grow 60% of the world’s cocoa—live in systemic poverty. This poverty is the root cause of the "bitter truth": over 1.5 million children are still working on cocoa farms today, and forced labor remains a shadow over our favorite treats.
When Tony’s launched, they didn't just want to make "ethical" chocolate. They wanted to prove that you could pay farmers a Living Income, trace every single bean back to the cooperative, and still run a wildly successful global business.
Why 2026 is Different
The reason I’m writing about this today is that we are finally seeing the "Ripple Effect." Just last year, Tony’s was named one of the most influential companies in the world by TIME, and more importantly, they’ve opened up their "Open Chain" to competitors.
Think about that: a company giving its secret sauce—its ethical sourcing model—to its rivals so they can be better, too. They’ve realized that being the "only" ethical brand isn't the goal. The goal is to make exploitation a thing of the past for the whole industry.
Your Vote in the Grocery Aisle
Sustainability often feels like a heavy burden, a list of things we have to give up. But today is about a choice that tastes good.
When you choose a brand that pays a "Living Income Reference Price," you aren't just buying sugar and cocoa. You are voting for a world where a farmer can send their children to school instead of to the fields. You are choosing a story of dignity over a story of extraction.
Something to Try Today
Next time you’re in the sweets aisle, don't just look at the price. Look for the story. If a brand can’t tell you exactly where their beans come from, it’s usually because the answer is uncomfortable.
Look for the "Fairtrade" seal, or better yet, look for the bars that are "broken" on purpose. It’s a small, delicious way to remember that we are all connected—one uneven piece at a time.
