Venchi
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
Italian chocolate and gelato maker.
We couldn't confirm where Venchi gets most of its cocoa.
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.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 2 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 2 of 6
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Met: Respects worker rights
- 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 (hazelnuts) 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 Venchi'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 Venchi 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. (partly offset by certification or direct sourcing)
- It doesn't show that it checks cocoa farms for child labour and fixes what it finds.
- Traces or certifies most but not all of its hazelnuts. That doesn't count against it for Good, but the "Open supply chain" star needs all of them traced, certified or upcycled.
Research notes Venchi reports that 80% of its products are Rainforest Alliance certified and aims for all its cocoa to be certified by 2027. It buys cocoa from Latin America, the Caribbean, West Africa and Southeast Asia but names no countries, shares or suppliers, and publishes no child labour monitoring or supplier audit results. Its hazelnuts are mainly Piedmont IGP from the Langhe in Italy. Its spreads are palm oil free; it gives no palm oil policy for the rest of the range.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate Scorecard | Not covered | Venchi is not among the companies invited to the 7th edition (2026) of the Chocolate Scorecard and has no published score. View |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | Venchi uses Rainforest Alliance rather than Fairtrade; it reports 80% of products Rainforest Alliance certified and aims for all cocoa by 2027. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- De Agostini buys 10.27% of Venchi (BeBeez) · search the archive · Daniele Ferrero remains reference shareholder; De Agostini holds 10.27%
- Venchi opens second store at World Square (Time Out Sydney) · search the archive · Venchi has its own stores in Sydney
- Venchi - Wikipedia · search the archive · HQ Castelletto Stura, Piedmont; 1,500+ employees (2024); revenue about EUR 250m
Published by Venchi or its owner
- Venchi - Product, Planet, People (ESG) · search the archive · 80% Rainforest Alliance certified products; 100% by 2027; Piedmont hazelnut IGP; 2024 sustainability report
- Venchi ESG - Product · search the archive · Cocoa from Latin America, Caribbean, West Africa, Southeast Asia; Materials: hazelnuts grown primarily in the Langhe, Italy
- Venchi - Certifications and awards · search the archive · Rainforest Alliance cocoa certification with goal of all cocoa by 2027; ISO 45001
- 10 ways to enjoy Venchi chocolate spread · search the archive · Materials: spread contains 37% Piedmont IGP hazelnuts and no palm oil
Company details
- Headquarters
- Italy
- Employees
- About 1,500
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Venchi ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/venchi, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
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Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Venchi.