• Tony’s Chocolonely is a small business success story. It was launched in 2005, the independent chocolate company became an essential element of $ 230 million among young shoppers, and competed with Lindt and the likes of Lindt and Hershey. She has social media and Gen Z’s values ​​to thank her.

Located on the colored chocolate shelves tied with unconventional letters: Tony’s Chocolnety products emerge.

Although there is less confession of name and higher prices than competitors, the Dutch chocolate has become fast among American youth.

Small Sweets was established in 2005, but most religious fans have not heard of this until the past two years. It is now Partnership with Proverbs Ben & Jerry’s, Aldi and Feastables, Tighten In 200 million euros (about 230 million dollars) of revenue last year with chocolate bars and other foods.

Gen Z and Millennials in particular feed this growth – reckless to have a sweet snack with a deeper purpose.

Take advantage of the valuable gen z shoppers

From the beginning, Tony’s worked with two things in mind: the company’s mission and the taste of the product.

Brand She created herself As a fair producer of cocoa in an industry full of forced work and exploitation. Convert one of the chocolate tone bars, and you will not find it in very small boxes; The uneven pieces are inequality in wealth in the production of chocolate in West Africa.

The wealthy young buyers – known for the status of money where their values ​​are located – on board a $ 6 chocolate bar. They are already in candy corridors goalFood atom, and Wal Martwith Costeco and Kruger Next.

“People want the task dependent brands. They want a installment, and they want better for you-better or healthy ingredients,” says Dusan Vujovic, the President of North America for Tony, says. luck. “This is a natural trend suitable for Tony. Consumers are younger consumers with the highest income who really want retailers to return to stores. They are all fighting for this type of consumer.”

To lead the correspondent and its products, Tony has made a partnership with similar brands Washington Postand Through the “Conversation Bektack”, which includes chocolate bars wrapped in exclusively designed packages by the creative team of the post. The company also joined the Radio City Rockettes several times, as it created exclusive candy bars and delivered samples after the iconic holidays in New York.

However, most likely, Tony’s connection with Ben & Jerry’s- Another distinctive brand known for its favorite flavors and flavors. The ice cream giant registered inTony Open Series“The network, cocoa sources for its products through the supply system from Tony. Aldi, Witros, and the winter joined the pledge.

Take advantage of the moments of viral social media to attract the general

While Tony had been present for two decades, he did not actually turn into advertising until he found an organic way to communicate with consumers. Social media was the entry point.

“We started the advertisement only two years ago, before that, we were very hostile to the media,” tells Dialya Sosa Walker, US Marketing President for Tony, luck.

Everything began with one virus Tiktok TrendPeople who pour spoes over chocolate bars, slowly dissolve the tape in the mug before coffee flows. It was a sick person – Tony saw it as the perfect viral moment to introduce its products in the cultural era.

“We have seen this trend, which was using chocolate. So we started working near this effect that sends more products,” says Walker. “We have set and then multiple directions we can benefit from.”

Tony bowed to the madness of social media, partnership with influencers through food lovers, home, and cooking communities on Tijook and Instagram. The company says a lot of this traction was normal – even among celebrities like Farrell Williams and Idris ElbaThose who shared their approvals.

Their ads exploded after Tony hit Wal -Mart shelves in 2022; After reaching more shoppers from different social and economic classes, it gave success in raising money instead of more beautifully.

“We were like,” well, we have a little budget now, so let’s choose some influencers who can speak to the comprehensive chocolate audience, and to the walmart shopping, “Walker explains.” So we have a few influencers we worked with that would go to Walmart, buy their chocolate, take it home, try it in the car, and make reviews. “

Another reason for providing a well -media advertising strategy in Tony is that there is emotional marketing in marketing. It is known that young people, chronic online consumers, have upcoming relationships with their favorite influencers. Watching their glowing approvals on Tony as a sweet treatment – and the excellent product – raises a bond with the brand and pays the idea of ​​chocolate as a personal experience.

“She really adds to this emotional experience,” says Walker. “People feel,” well, when I have these chocolate, this is for me, it is my treatment. It is a moment for myself. ”We see that there is an increase in the consumer’s experience with that …

The 5 best marketing tips from Tony for small companies

The chocolate industry is a difficult shock to crack – a few chocolate chocolate has a recognition of the name to bear the time of time. Tony’s Chocolonely has already made itself with an international team of less than 500 employees, and a marketing budget that dwarfs giants such as Cadbury, Mars and Tobleron.

For other small companies looking to enter a crowded market, Vujovic and Walker mode five factors that must be taken into account in advertising with a limited budget.

1. Standardization of marketing and sales. Marketing and sales teams in Tony at “Lockstep”, instead of being spaced. Joining the forces helps to enhance the brand’s correspondence.
2. Be patient and do not rush. Although he is at work for two decades, Tony did not go to the full suffocating in the United States even a few years ago. This is because he did not adopt the work of the work “move quickly and break things.”
3. Find the basic and fluffy consumer base. Tony understood that his shoppers were young, rich, driven by the mission, so he found that the best way to push the brand was through famous social media trends.
4. Understand your markets. With companies expanding internationally, you must understand how their markets respond to their products. By collecting data, Tony has known American shoppers less than the value of buyers in the UK, so it was marketed to each of them differently.
5. It stands out on a shelf. Tony is called an eccentric chocolate bar with “advertising boards”, where the bold wrapping of the groceries between flat color panels highlights. The eye always eats first.

This story was originally shown on Fortune.com

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2025-04-19 11:53:00