Ernest Hillier
Lacks transparency. Shows little about where or how its products are made.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 4 sources
Melbourne chocolate maker selling blocks and coated nuts.
We couldn't find where Ernest Hillier gets most of its cocoa, a certification covering its range or a list of its suppliers.
Also worth knowing
Most cocoa is grown in countries such as Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, where workers are very unlikely to earn a living wage.
Better-graded chocolate
Graded higher than Ernest Hillier, selling the same kinds of things.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 6 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It doesn't show that workers are paid a living wage, and isn't certified as working towards one. On Track needs at least one of these.
- 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 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where cocoa is usually grown: worker rights are poorly protected in Ecuador, Cameroon and Nigeria.
- 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
- Not met: Finds and fixes child labour on cocoa farms (Fairtrade, Fair for Life or its own published monitoring), and traces other high-risk ingredients where they're a major part of its range
Red flags 1
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
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 Ernest Hillier'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 cocoa is grown
We couldn't confirm where Ernest Hillier gets most of its cocoa, so this shows where cocoa is usually grown.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Côte d'Ivoire | 45% | Regular violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Ghana | 25% | Strong protections | Well below a living wage | Low |
| Ecuador | 10% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Cameroon | 10% | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Nigeria | 5% | No guarantee of rights | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia | 5% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: an estimated 1.5 million children work on cocoa farms in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, and most cocoa farmers earn well below a living income.
- It doesn't show that it checks cocoa farms for child labour and fixes what it finds.
Research notes HILLIER chocolate is made at the company's own factory in Coburg North, Victoria, which holds a SMETA ethical audit, so factory work happens under Australian wage law. It does not say where its cocoa comes from, whether the cocoa is certified, or whether it uses palm oil or hazelnuts, and it publishes no supplier list or modern slavery statement. The relaunched range reached Melbourne independent supermarkets in 2026.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not covered | Neither Ernest Hillier nor owner Yowie Group lodges a modern slavery statement; the group is below the A$100 million reporting threshold. View |
| Chocolate Scorecard | Not covered | Ernest Hillier and Yowie Group are not assessed in the 2026 (7th edition) Chocolate Scorecard. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 4
Show all 4 sources
- Yowie Group (Ethical Consumer Guide) · search the archive · Keybridge Capital owns 78% of Yowie Group; not rated
- Yowie Group rescues Ernest Hillier chocolate business (Inside FMCG, 2023) · search the archive · Yowie bought Ernest Hillier's plant, equipment, business names and brands from administration in 2023
- Yowie Group quarterly activities report (May 2026) · search the archive · Refreshed HILLIER range (blocks, coated nuts, pretzels, gifting) going into Melbourne independent supermarkets; Coburg North lease to 2027
- Yowie Group ASX announcement, seasonal confectionery licence (Feb 2026) · search the archive · Ernest Hillier's Coburg North facility holds FSSC 22000 and SMETA ethical accreditation
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Ernest Hillier ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/ernest-hillier, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Ernest Hillier.