Layman Schlissel, one of the leading food importers and marketers in Israel, launched in the country the successful chocolate brand Tony's Chocolany in five different flavors: milk chocolate, milk chocolate with hazelnuts, milk chocolate with almonds and honey, dark chocolate 70% and dark chocolate with almonds and salt.

Behind the large chocolate tables wrapped in strong colored packaging hides an extraordinary story, about a media person who stood up alone in front of the wrong norms in the cocoa industry.

Tony's Chocolate Chains symbol (credit: PR)
Tony's Chocolate Chains symbol (credit: PR)
The story of Tony's Chocolonely began in 2003 when a Dutch journalist named Taun van de Kouken was surprised to discover that child slavery was still prevalent in the world. Van de Kooken decided to conduct an investigation on the matter, as part of his television program. It soon became clear to him that illegal child labor and modern slavery are alarmingly common in West Africa - where 60% of the world's cocoa comes from.Shocked and shaken, he contacted every chocolate manufacturer in the world to try to influence the situation, but received no response from any of them.

In an attempt to generate noise around the issue and bring about real change, Town appeared on one of the Dutch TV shows, ate a pile of chocolate bars on air and "turned himself in" as a "chocolate criminal" to the Dutch authorities. The public prosecutor refused to prosecute Town, but it did not give up and began to look for potential witnesses - actual victims of the chocolate he ate.He located four boys who were employed under slave conditions on a cocoa farm in the Ivory Coast, and they gave detailed testimonies about their experiences and the conditions in which they worked. While waiting for the judge to receive the evidence he had gathered, Town decided to make an example. And so, he produced 5,000 chocolate bars under fair conditions.

The first Tony's Chocolate Bar was born on November 29, 2005. It was a milk chocolate bar packed in a bright red wrapper, created from the ground up with the supply chain and production being done under strict fair trade standards, 100% slavery free. It was quickly discovered that the initial quantity they produced would not be enough - Tony's chocolate bars are a great success.

Tony's chocolate cubes, represent the inequality. The price: NIS 19 for 180 grams (credit: PR)
Tony's chocolate cubes, represent the inequality. The price: NIS 19 for 180 grams (credit: PR)
The brand name Tony's Chocolonely actually consists of the name of Town (in the English version - Tony), the word Chocolate and the word Lonely - which is used to represent the lonely struggle of Tony's against all the companies that continue to purchase cocoa that is produced under unfair trade conditions.

Tony's chocolate tables are not arranged in symmetrical cubes as is customary, but are divided unequally, with the aim of reminding us that there is no equality in the chocolate industry.

The unique story of the brand is printed on the inside of the colorful and unique packaging, and on each pack is stamped the symbol of the broken chains - which symbolizes the goal of Tony's: to break the production chain under conditions of slavery and create chocolate that is 100% Slave Free. All these are just part of the story of a special and magical chocolate that has been attracting more and more consumers for years who want a change, who want to break the chain.

Tony's Chocolonelli will be sold in Israel in five flavors: milk chocolate, milk with hazelnuts, milk chocolate with almonds and honey, dark chocolate 70% and dark chocolate with almonds and salt. The price: NIS 19 per pack weighing 180 grams. available in the marketing chains and selected stores.