Arkadia
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Australian family company known for chai latte powders and teas.
Arkadia publishes no certification, independent audit or supplier list.
Also worth knowing
Workers in Sri Lanka are very unlikely to earn a living wage.
Know something we've missed? Send evidence. Represent Arkadia? Send a right of reply.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 5 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and a hidden supply chain. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 5
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where its tea is grown: worker rights are poorly protected in Sri Lanka.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain: no certification, independent audits or supplier list
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Arkadia's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
- A product carrying the Fairtrade mark: Good
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where its tea is grown
Arkadia says which countries its tea comes from, but doesn't name the farms or co-operatives.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: tea estate wages in Assam, Sri Lanka and Kenya are among the lowest of any export crop, often paid partly in kind (housing, rations). Source
Research notes Arkadia is an Australian family-owned brand of chai latte powders and café teas, owned by Melbourne food manufacturer Maltra Foods, with products made in Victoria and Queensland. Its teas are labelled as a product of Sri Lanka and its chai uses Ceylon black tea, but it names no estates, certification or sourcing policy beyond halal and kosher. Sri Lankan tea estates are known for low wages and poor housing.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | No Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance certification found. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- BHRRC: Low wages, dilapidated housing and child labour found on Rainforest Alliance certified tea estates in Sri Lanka · search the archive · Documented labour problems on Sri Lankan tea estates.
- Bean Scene: Arkadia Beverages unveils its new tea range · search the archive · 2022 launch of seven ethically sourced teas and infusions for Australian cafés, with black and green teas from Ceylon.
- Inside FMCG: Beverage label Arkadia launches matcha latte range (July 2025) · search the archive · Maltra Foods owns Arkadia; range sold at Coles and Woolworths nationwide.
- Expoplaza: Maltra Foods - Arkadia Beverages retail range · search the archive · Australian family-owned brand with products manufactured in Victoria and Queensland.
- Star-K: Arkadia Teas kosher listing · search the archive · Arkadia Teas labelled as product of Sri Lanka (2025).
- Australian Home Brewing: Arkadia Chai Spice · search the archive · Chai made by an Australian family company for over 25 years; halal and kosher certified.
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Arkadia ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/arkadia, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded tea
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Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Arkadia.