Pip & Nut has become the first UK snacking brand to join Tony’s Open Chain.
The move means all the chocolate in the brand’s nut butter cups will be made using cocoa sourced directly via Tony’s Open Chain, according to Tony’s five sourcing principles.
The principles are: better transparency; commitment to pay a higher premium for beans; investing in developing farming co-operatives; adopting longer-term sourcing agreements; and improving production without increasing levels of illegal labour practices.
The supply chain initiative was started by ‘ethical’ chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely.
So far, Tony’s has signed up five UK ‘mission allies’ that have committed to supporting more sustainable cocoa sourcing across their supply chain. They are: Pip & Nut, Waitrose, Aldi, Ben & Jerry’s and Huel.
Globally, the total number of mission allies now numbers 16.
“As a B Corp we have an important role to play in championing ethical and sustainable sourcing across our supply chain,” said Pip & Nut founder and CEO Pippa Murray.
Pip & Nut was already a participant in the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform – a regenerative agriculture programme helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent drought, Murray said. Joining Tony’s Open Chain was therefore “a natural next step”.
“Our hope is that by joining the Open Chain, we can build long-term partnerships with our cocoa suppliers and work collectively to create a fairer, more ethical, sector,” she added.
Pip & Nut was a brand that had always and continued to “truly advocate ethical and sustainable sourcing” said Kitty Pandya, UK&I sales manager at Tony’s Open Chain.
“This innovative and fast-growing brand joins a group of committed brands and retailers that see a better way of sourcing cocoa,” she said. “Together, we can amplify our impact and drive meaningful change, working on a brighter future for cocoa farmers and their communities.”
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