Gloria Jean's Coffees
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Mostly franchised café chain also selling coffee beans.
There's no proof the people who grow its coffee earn more than the legal minimum, which in Brazil is below a living wage.
Better-graded café chains
Graded higher than Gloria Jean's Coffees, selling the same kinds of things.
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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 unaudited production in high-risk countries. 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 rights48% of its coffee is grown in countries such as Colombia and Honduras, where unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- 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: Made mostly in countries with poor worker rights, without a full independent audit of its supply chain
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 Gloria Jean's Coffees'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 coffee is grown
These are Retail Food Group's coffee origins across all its brands; Gloria Jean's Coffees doesn't say where its own coffee is grown. The rest is shown as where coffee is usually grown.
| Country | Share | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 38% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Honduras | 18% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Colombia | 18% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Nicaragua | 11% | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Ethiopia | 2% | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| India | 1% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| VietnamUsual for the industry | under 1% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | under 1% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| PeruUsual for the industry | under 1% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| UgandaUsual for the industry | under 1% | Systematic violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| GuatemalaUsual for the industry | under 1% | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Papua New Guinea | 12% | We don't have labour ratings for this country yet. | ||
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: coffee is on the US Department of Labor child or forced labour list for over a dozen countries, and farm-gate prices often fall below a living income. (partly offset by certification or direct sourcing)
- Modern slavery statement
Research notes Parent Retail Food Group publishes the origin of its green coffee each year: in FY25 Brazil 37%, Honduras 18%, Colombia 18%, Papua New Guinea 12%, Nicaragua 11%, Ethiopia 2% and India 1%. About 95% of its Australian green coffee was Rainforest Alliance certified in FY25, down from 97% in FY24; overseas stores may differ. It asks key suppliers to join SEDEX and complete self-assessments but does not report farm audits, a farm list or wage data, and reports no modern slavery cases.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Parent Retail Food Group lodges annual modern slavery statements covering Gloria Jean's (latest FY25). View |
| US Department of Labor goods lists | Listed | Coffee from Brazil is listed for child and forced labour, and coffee from Colombia and Honduras for child labour. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- Gloria Jean's (Shop Ethical / ethical.org.au) · search the archive · Wholly owned by Retail Food Group since 2014; mostly franchised stores in many countries
- US DOL List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor · search the archive · Coffee from Brazil listed for child and forced labour; Colombia and Honduras for child labour
- Retail Food Group ASX announcement: Change of Company Secretary (1 July 2026) · search the archive · Retail Food Group still owner of Gloria Jean's as of July 2026
Published by Gloria Jean's Coffees or its owner
- Retail Food Group Modern Slavery Statement FY25 · search the archive · FY25 green coffee origins: Brazil 37.1%, Honduras 18.1%, Colombia 17.6%, PNG 11.7%, Nicaragua 10.8%, Ethiopia 2%, India 1.3%; 95% certified
- Retail Food Group Modern Slavery Statement FY24 · search the archive · Over 97% of FY24 domestic green coffee Rainforest Alliance certified; 100% target revised
- Retail Food Group Modern Slavery Statement FY22 · search the archive · Brands covered include Gloria Jean's; coffee roasted at Castle Hill, NSW
Company details
- Owned by
- Retail Food Group Limited
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Gloria Jean's Coffees ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/gloria-jeans, 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 Gloria Jean's Coffees.