Popular meal delivery service HelloFresh has been accused of using coconut milk obtained from money labor in Thailand. According to an investigation by PETA Asia, the coconut industry in Thailand chains, whips, beats, and forces monkeys to spend long hours picking coconuts. PETA is now calling for a boycott of the meal delivery service.  

Source: Official PETA/Vimeo

For eight months, from December 2021 to July 2022, PETA Asia conducted its third investigation into Thailand’s coconut industry. They found chained monkeys who are forced to spend long hours climbing trees and picking heavy coconuts. In response, the Thai government and companies that make coconut products have claimed that monkeys are no longer used in the making of exported products. However, PETA Asia’s new investigation has confirmed that rampant abuse of the monkeys is still going unchecked. They found that the Thai coconut industry executives deliberately hide monkey labor. 

HelloFresh has said that they receive written assurances from their suppliers that the coconuts are not procured using monkeys.

“HelloFresh strictly condemns any use of monkey labor in its supply chain, and we take a hard position of not procuring from suppliers or selling coconut products which have been found to use monkey labor. We have written confirmation from all of our suppliers — in the U.S. and globally — that they do not engage in these practices.”

According to PETA, however, brokers from HelloFresh’s coconut milk suppliers showed the organization monkeys who were chained on trash-strewn patches of dirt and flooded areas, with their only shelter being old car tires. PETA published photos from the investigation as well as footage. The monkeys are reportedly kidnapped from their families in nature.

“Monkeys are chained around the neck and forced to toil day in and day out, all for HelloFresh and other companies that lack a conscience,” Tracy Reiman, PETA’s executive vice president, claimed Monday in an emailed statement. “PETA is calling on everyone, including HelloFresh, to stop buying canned coconut milk from Thailand until monkeys are no longer used and abused for profit.”

Despite HelloFresh reportedly knowing of the monkey labor for years, they still are refusing to do the right thing by moving its coconut milk supply chain out of Thailand.

Costco has joined Walgreens, Food Lion, Giant Food, and Stop & Shop, who all stopped stocking brands of coconut milk after a PETA investigation found certain brands use monkey labor. All of these brands stopped, so why can’t HelloFresh?

PETA lists coconut brands that do not use monkey labor on their website to allow consumers to opt for a more ethical purchase.

Sign this petition to end the use of monkeys to harvest coconuts!

Related Content:

• New Footage of Monkey Labor in Thai Coconut Farms
• Retailers Remove Coconut Products from Thai Suppliers Accused of Using Monkey Labor
• Monkeys Abused and Trained to Harvest Coconuts in Thailand
• PETA Goes After Associated Food Stores CEO Over Forced Monkey Labor
• Danone’s So Delicious Launches Program for Filipino Coconut Farmers

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take the initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that are raising awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your own food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!