Treedom Project
Valerio's code of ethics applies to the production chain, the working method and the individual. In fact, when the raw materials come from plantations abroad, the firm’s choice depends on the way in which labour is regulated and will only trade with those companies that treat farmers and workers in a fair and proper way. In this way Tonka wants to promote the idea of being at the forefront of ethical awareness. Becoming a proactive representative in the present time, and above all in the future, is the basis of the Treedom Project, the first worldwide web platform that enables people to plant a tree online and follow its growth from a distance. A lot of platforms offer people the possibility of “adopting” trees, but the real purpose is to promote the fight against pollution and an efficient, valid production chain. Depending on the species, trees will be planted in Kenya (passion fruit and mango), in Ecuador (coffee), in Cameroon (cocoa) and in Madagascar (papaya), using agroforestry techniques that favour a healthy interaction between the various species and help evaluate their positive impact on the environment and soil. Up until the end of September, Tonka will plant three trees per species and offer a
free taste of one particular fruit per month, prepared in two “limited edition” recipes (alternately for 15 days each): Tomassi selection of single origin Coffee, treated with the essential oil extracted from oranges and dates. There are two orange-based flavours: one with yogurt, orange and cocoa nibs, and the other with banana, orange fermented with Corrado Assenza's peels and ginger. Avocado, cucumber and pink peppercorn. Then there is one of Mango with a fresh note of basil and carrot stracciatella, and in the second version, flavoured with an infusion of sage and raspberry. Our fifth “tree” flavour is of course based on Cocoa, in a totally new and unusual format. Tonka is, in fact, serving two unique flavours aimed at revealing the flavour of the cacao fruit in its entirety: pulp extracted from the Ecuadorian single origin cacao fruit, worked with lemon juice and coated with Modica-treated chocolate stracciatella, and an ice cream version made with Peruvian single origin natural cocoa sprinkled with powder from the same single origin source. By the end of the project, Tonka will have planted 12 trees in three different Countries, responsible for having cut 1965 kgs of CO2, the contents of 15 basket balls!
