Tony’s Chocolonely Chocolate Recall: Products, Batches, Refunds

Tony’s Chocolonely has issued a voluntary recall for seven lots of its chocolate products after consumers in multiple countries found small stones—up to 13 millimeters in size—in the bars. The recall spans more than 20 countries and was announced in April 2025 after 12 consumer complaints, none in North America.

Affected products: Two chocolate bars and hollow eggs · Reason for recall: Small stones or metal fragments · Reports received: 12 consumer reports · Initiated by: Third-party almond harvesting issue · Recall dates: April 2025 announcements

Why has Tony’s chocolate been recalled?

Tony’s Chocolonely voluntarily recalled seven lots of two chocolate products due to the potential presence of small stones, according to the FDA’s official recall notice. The contamination originated from third-party almond harvesting and processing—stones measuring between 6 and 13 millimeters were not filtered out during production, Food Safety News reported.

Reason for the recall

• Stones entered the supply chain through third-party almond suppliers
• Twelve consumers outside the US and Canada found stones in the product (FDA recall notice)
• The company stated the chance of any individual product being affected is low (FDA recall notice)
• No injuries have been reported in North America (FDA recall notice)

Cause of contamination

The contamination stems from almonds sourced through third-party suppliers. According to Tony’s statement to the FDA, “A limited number of consumers reported that they found small stones in the product, which were not filtered during third-party almond harvesting and almond processing.” The stones ranged from 6 to 13 millimeters in size, Food Safety News documented.

The implication: Despite nationwide US and Canadian distribution, not a single complaint has emerged from North American consumers, raising questions about whether underreporting may be masking the true scope of the problem.

What chocolate brand is being recalled?

Tony’s Chocolonely is a Dutch chocolate brand headquartered in Amsterdam with offices in New York City, Fox Business reported. The company is known for its “slave-free” chocolate mission and chunky, breakable bars. Two of its products are currently affected by the recall.

Affected Tony’s Chocolonely products

• Dark Almond Sea Salt Bar (6.35 oz / 180g)
• Everything Bar (6.35 oz / 180g)

The recall also extended to hollow chocolate eggs, Food Safety News noted, though this varied by market. No other Tony’s products are affected by the recall, the company confirmed on its US recall page.

What this means: The narrow scope of seven affected lot codes limits consumer risk, but anyone who purchased these specific products should verify their batch immediately.

Which batches are affected by the recall?

Checking whether your bar is part of the recall takes under a minute. Here’s what to do: find the wrapper, locate the lot code near the “best before” date, and compare against the tables below.

US lot codes

Products were distributed nationwide in the United States via retail stores and www.tonyschocolonely.com, the FDA confirmed. Distribution ran from February 7, 2025 through March 24, 2025.

UK lot codes

The UK’s Tony’s Chocolonely UK recall page lists different codes, reflecting separate production batches for that market. UK products are 180g, identical in size to US bars.

Lot codes can be found near the “best before” date, usually starting with “L” in UK products, according to Tony’s UK guidance.

The pattern: US and UK markets received separate production runs with different lot code systems, meaning consumers who travel or shop internationally should verify both formats.

How to check if your chocolate is affected

Here’s a step-by-step process to determine whether your Tony’s Chocolonely product falls under the recall.

Step-by-step verification

1. Find the wrapper. Look at the back of your Tony’s Chocolonely bar wrapper.
2. Locate the lot code. The lot code is printed near the “best before” date. In UK products, it typically starts with “L”.
3. Compare to the lists above. Match your code against the US or UK lot code tables, depending on where you purchased the product.
4. Check the best-by date. US affected products have best-by dates from November 2025 through April 2026.

What to do if your product is affected

• Do not consume the product (Prevention magazine report)
• Return it to the place of purchase for a full refund, or
• Dispose of the product safely
• Contact Tony’s Chocolonely USA at +1 (503)-388-5990 for questions (FDA recall notice)
• Media inquiries: tonys@ledecompany.com or 267-884-5801 (FDA recall notice)

The consequence: A five-second check could prevent a dental emergency or worse—stones up to 13 millimeters are large enough to cause serious injury if bitten down on unexpectedly.

What country is Tony’s chocolate from?

Tony’s Chocolonely was founded in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1999 and remains headquartered there, Fox Business reported. The company expanded to the United States with an office in New York City and now sells its products in more than 20 countries worldwide, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Norway.

Brand origin and global presence

• Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• US office: New York City
• Founded: 1999
• Markets affected by recall: 20+ countries across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania

The brand’s signature is its mission to produce “slave-free” chocolate—meaning it aims to ensure no child labor or exploitation occurs in its supply chain. It’s a positioning that has earned Tony’s a loyal following, particularly among consumers who care about ethical sourcing.

The irony: A brand built on ethical supply chain transparency was blindsided by a contamination issue originating from a third-party almond supplier it didn’t directly control.

What’s special about Tony’s chocolate?

Tony’s Chocolonely built its reputation on two things: unusually large, breakable chocolate bars and an explicit commitment to ethical sourcing. The company publishes its theory of change and requires suppliers to sign its sourcing charter. For many buyers, this mission-driven approach is part of the appeal—it’s not just chocolate, it’s a statement.

Unique mission and impact

• Self-described “slave-free” chocolate mission
• Published supplier sourcing charter
• Large-format bars designed for sharing
• Strong social media presence and brand loyalty

The irony is not lost on observers: a brand built on ethical sourcing is dealing with a contamination issue that came from a third-party supplier’s failure to filter stones during almond processing. The company handled the announcement with characteristic directness—Tony’s UK posted on its blog: “We wish this were an April Fools’, but we’d never kid about the quality of our products.”

What this means: Tony’s response to this recall—transparent communication and straightforward refund options—will determine whether its ethical-sourcing reputation survives a problem it didn’t cause but must now own.

Why shouldn’t you put Tony’s chocolate in the fridge?

While not directly related to the recall, many Tony’s fans wonder about storage. The brand recommends keeping its chocolate at room temperature, away from heat and humidity.

Storage recommendations

• Store at room temperature (ideally 65–68°F / 18–20°C)
• Avoid refrigeration to prevent “bloom”—a whitish coating that forms when chocolate goes through temperature changes
• Keep in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight
• If bloom has already occurred, the texture changes but the chocolate remains safe to eat in most cases

The contrast: Cosmetic bloom from improper storage won’t hurt you, but stone contamination from a recalled batch could cause real injury—this recall demands different action than typical chocolate care.

Recall timeline and key dates

The contamination came to light over roughly two months of distribution, with the recall announced about a week after distribution ended.

Products with best-by dates extending to November 2025 (for the Everything Bar) and April 2026 (for the Dark Almond Sea Salt) may still be in consumer possession, which explains why the recall remains active even though distribution ended in late March.

The implication: Active best-by dates extending into 2026 mean recalled products could still be sitting in consumer pantries—making the recall communication essential even months after distribution ended.

Confirmed facts vs. what’s still unclear

Confirmed facts

• Stones entered via third-party almond harvesting and processing (FDA recall notice)
• Seven specific lot codes affected across US and UK markets
• Twelve consumer complaints filed outside US and Canada (FDA recall notice)
• No injuries reported in North America (FDA recall notice)
• No other Tony’s products are affected (Tony’s US recall page)

What’s unclear

• Total units distributed across all 20+ affected countries
• Specific names and locations of third-party almond suppliers involved
• Whether complaints from outside North America suggest underreporting in US/Canadian markets
• Financial impact of the recall on Tony’s Chocolonely
• Refund and replacement claim statistics

The gap: With zero North American complaints despite nationwide US distribution, the question of whether American and Canadian consumers are unaware of the recall—or simply haven’t found contaminated products—remains unanswered.

What people are saying

“A limited number of consumers reported that they found small stones in the product, which were not filtered during third-party almond harvesting and almond processing.”

— Tony’s Chocolonely Inc., company statement to the FDA

“Whilst the chance of any individual product being affected is low, we have decided to take this step to ensure the safety and satisfaction of Tony’s Chocolonely consumers.”

— Tony’s Chocolonely Inc., company statement to the FDA

“We wish this were an April Fools’, but we’d never kid about the quality of our products.”

— Tony’s Chocolonely UK, blog post

Bottom line

Tony’s Chocolonely is a mission-driven Dutch chocolate brand facing a supply chain problem it didn’t cause—but must now own. The recall of seven lot codes across two products is relatively contained, and the company has moved quickly with clear instructions for consumers: check your lot code, don’t eat affected products, get a refund. For US and UK consumers who’ve purchased the Dark Almond Sea Salt Bar or Everything Bar recently, checking that wrapper is a five-second move that could prevent a dental emergency. The stones ranged up to 13 millimeters—large enough to chip a tooth or worse if someone bit down unexpectedly. Tony’s reputation for ethical sourcing is intact if it handles this transparently. For consumers, the choice is straightforward: check the code, return or dispose of the product, and wait for the brand to sort out its almond supplier situation before your next bar.