Tony’s Chocolonely has announced that Waitrose has become the first UK retailer to join Tony’s Open Chain, becoming a ‘Mission Ally’ to support more sustainable cocoa sourcing throughout the industry.
Tony’s Open Chain is an industry-led initiative that helps chocolate brands, or brands which sell products containing cocoa, transform their cocoa supply chains and become sustainability frontrunners.
Nine Waitrose own brand chocolate bars, including Cooks’ ingredients bars, will be sourced through Tony’s Open Chain. The full range will be available across all UK stores from Monday 8th April and recognisable by the yellow Tony’s Open Chain ‘button’ on the front of pack.
By joining Tony’s Open Chain, Waitrose commits to Tony’s 5 Sourcing Principles, including rigorous sourcing standards, robust traceability, paying the living income reference price for cocoa and building long term partnerships with partner cooperatives to support farmers and develop thriving cocoa communities. As a collaborative initiative, Mission Allies compete on chocolate but collaborate on cocoa.
Cocoa sourced according to Tony’s 5 Sourcing Principles is proven to be 100% verified deforestation free, reduce child labour from 46.7% (industry average) to 4.4% and to contribute 62% to cocoa household income in Côte d’Ivoire. Currently 17,740 farmers benefit from living income cocoa prices thanks to Tony’s Open Chain, 20% more than last year*
Tony’s is inspiring wider change with seven new Open Chain ‘Mission Allies’ in the past year alone. Waitrose follows existing Mission Allies including global brands such as Ben & Jerry’s and Albert Heijn, as well as fast growing UK brands such as Huel and Pleese.
Sanne Van Zon-Arts, Head of Sales, Tony’s Open Chain said: “We are thrilled to welcome Waitrose as a new mission ally in Tony’s Open Chain. Being the first UK retailer to join us, Waitrose will pave the way for changing the norm in cocoa and offering consumers more opportunities to choose responsible chocolate for which farmers are paid the living income reference price. Together we will make significant impact and take serious steps to end exploitation in cocoa.”
Tony’s has long fought for the chocolate industry to drive structural change towards a more equally divided cocoa chain. That’s why the companies involved in Tony’s Open Chain take responsibility for a traceable supply chain, where issues are always brought out in the open so they can be solved; direct and equal business relations throughout the entire chain; and paying a higher price which makes a living income achievable for farmers. Waitrose has long believed in creating better livelihoods for workers and their families, stronger communities and sustainable supply chains for Waitrose and supplier partners. Since 2005, The Waitrose Foundation has invested over £19 million into more than 1,700 community projects in nine countries.
All cocoa in Waitrose own brand lines, that is not sourced via Tony’s Open Chain, is becoming Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade certified, offering customers cocoa products that bring direct economic and environmental benefits to producers and their communities. Working closely with committed suppliers and our commercial teams, 72% of the cocoa Waitrose sourced for own-brand products in 2023 was either Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance certified.
Charlotte Di Cello, Commercial Director at Waitrose said: “We’re proud to be the first UK retailer to join Tony’s Chocolonely in their mission to end exploitation in cocoa, but we definitely hope we aren’t the last.
“Joining as a Mission Ally is crucial to helping set a new industry standard, in a world where sustainability is no longer optional but essential, we want to not just meet but exceed our customers’ expectations for responsibly and ethically sourced, high-quality food across the UK and international supply chains.”
Editorial contact:
Editor: Kiran Grewal kgrewal@kennedys.co.uk
