Yowie
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 7 sources
Milk chocolate figure with a collectible toy inside.
We couldn't confirm where Yowie 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 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 Yowie'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 Yowie 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.
Research notes Yowie says its chocolate uses Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa, a claim made at its 2017 relaunch when production was contracted to the Madelaine Chocolate Company in the US, and still shown on US retail listings. Yowie sold in Australia has been a US-made format from a third-party maker whose contract ends in October 2026; the company is developing an Australian-made format at its Ernest Hillier factory in Coburg North, Victoria, which holds a SMETA ethical audit. It does not name its cocoa origins, publish a supplier list or lodge a modern slavery statement.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| News reporting and NGO investigations | Listed | Yowie chocolate is described as made with Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa (2017 relaunch; still claimed on US retail listings). View |
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Yowie Group (Ethical Consumer Guide) · search the archive · Keybridge Capital owns 78% of Yowie Group; not rated
- Yowie re-enters Australia and signs wildlife conservation deal (ConfectioneryNews, 2017) · search the archive · Made by Madelaine Chocolate Company (US) with Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa; nut-free
- Yowie Group buys Ernest Hillier chocolate assets (Just Food, 2023) · search the archive · Yowie bought Ernest Hillier's Coburg North plant in 2023; Perth HQ; sells in Australia and US
- Yowie Chocolate Surprise (Walmart) · search the archive · Listing states 'Ethically sourced and traded/Rainforest Alliance Certified'
- Yowie Group ASX announcement, seasonal confectionery licence (Feb 2026) · search the archive · Coburg North facility holds FSSC 22000 and SMETA accreditation; sells through major Australian retailers
- Yowie Group quarterly activities report (June 2026 quarter) · search the archive · US third-party maker of current format until 28 Oct 2026; US-made 28g format sold in Australia; new format to be made at Ernest Hillier
- Glow-in-the-dark Yowie available at Woolworths (C-Store) · search the archive · Yowie sold in Woolworths stores nationwide
Company details
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Yowie ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/yowie, 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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