HEMA joins Tony's Chocolonely's mission to make all chocolate 100% exploitation free
Dutch retailer HEMA is joining Tony's Open Chain, and contributing to our mission to end exploitation in cocoa. By joining Tony's Open Chain, HEMA will pay cocoa farmers from partner coops in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire the price for a living income for their 100% traceable beans. Next year, HEMA will start selling the first chocolate made from Tony's Open Chain cocoa. With the partnership, we are taking big steps to end illegal labour and deforestation in the industry. HEMA focuses on sustainability and taking responsibility in the production chain.
Building an alliance for more impact
In the course of next year, HEMA will start selling the first chocolate produced according to Tony's Open Chain principles. Gradually, more and more items will be added, with the ambition to source all of HEMA’s cocoa in a fair and sustainable way through Tony's Open Chain.
"Sustainability is an essential part of our strategy and is a prerequisite for a future-proof company. By making our products ever more sustainable, we want to have a positive impact on society and the environment. By joining Tony's Open Chain, we want to actively contribute to a living income for the cocoa farmers and end child labour and deforestation in the cocoa chain. We believe that structural change is only possible by working together with like-minded companies and mobilizing the entire industry."
Wilma Veldman, Chief Product Officer of HEMA
"We are super happy to welcome HEMA as a new mission ally in Tony's Open Chain. Tony's Chocolonely and HEMA are both brands with a Dutch heritage, that are both outspoken about social equality and sustainability, and take actual action as well. With HEMA on board, Dutch chocolate fans will have more and more opportunities to choose responsible chocolate for which farmers are paid the price for a living income. Together we are going to make a lot of impact and we will take serious steps to end exploitation in cocoa."
Joke Aerts, Tony's Open Chain Lead