DYK This Chocolate Company Was Launched With The Aim To Eradicate Slavery?

There is a wide variety of chocolate available across the world. Some popular ones include Cadbury, Hershey, Toblerone, Lindt and Ferrero Rocher. People with a sweet tooth relish the smooth and rich texture of chocolates. But, chances are that you will not find someone keen enough to trace back the origin of a chocolate brand. That was, however, not the case for a social media user who was so intrigued by the name of a particular chocolate that he unearthed the history behind it.

Recently, an X-user shared some information about a Dutch-based chocolate bar named Tony’s Chcolonely on the micro-blogging platform. Intrigued by its melancholic name, he searched about its history and came upon an interesting revelation. “My curiosity piqued by the oddly melancholic name of the chocolate bar I bought at Schiphol Airport, I went in search of backstory. I was not expecting this,” he wrote.

In a detailed screenshot posted on X, the user revealed that Tony’s Chcolonely was founded by Dutch television producer Teun van de Keuken. He was on a mission to eradicate slavery. But upon finding himself alone in the noble pursuit, he felt “lonely”. This prompted him to launch the chocolate company that echoed his gloomy sentiment.

“After three years of unsuccessful attempts to change the industry through investigative efforts, Van de Keuken decided to start producing chocolate bars himself. The brand was called Tony’s Chocolonely with “Tony” (Teun) and “Chocolonely” in reference to Teun van de Keuken’s feeling as if he was the only person in the industry who was interested in eradicating slavery. Van de Keuken sold 20,000 bars in two days,” read the text.

The internet population was quick to react to the post. “You know I’ve eaten about 100 of these over the years and I always thought the name was Tony Chocoloney, like a fun rhyming name. I knew that the backstory, can’t believe I misread that name for so long,” shared an individual. “It’s also the most delicious chocolate in the world possibly,” commented a chocolate lover. “And honestly? They’re amazing—better than a lot of fancy gourmet brands. You would never guess it from the packaging,” agreed another.

So far, the post has garnered over 2.4 million views. Were you aware of the fact?