Ernest Hillier Chocolates facts for kids
 |
|
| Privately held company | |
| Industry | Confectionery |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Headquarters |
9-11 Hocking Street
,
Coburg North, Victoria, 3058 Australia
|
|
Area served
|
Australia, international exports |
| Products | Chocolates |
|
Number of employees
|
Around 60 |
Ernest Hillier Chocolates is a famous Australian company that makes delicious chocolates. It was started way back in 1914. This makes it Australia's very first chocolate maker. It is also the oldest chocolate company in Australia that is still owned by a private family or group.
The company's main office is in Melbourne, Australia. They make over 600 different kinds of chocolate treats!
Contents
The Beginning of Ernest Hillier Chocolates
Ernest Hillier, the person who started the company, moved from England to San Francisco, USA, in the early 1900s. He wanted to learn how to make sweets and run soda shops. There, he and his wife, Magdalen May, opened several restaurants. However, most of their shops were destroyed in the big 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Moving to Australia
After the earthquake, the Hilliers moved to Sydney, Australia, in 1906. Ernest Hillier then started doing many things that were "firsts" in Australia. In 1911, he opened Australia's first soda fountain. It was called "Hillier Refreshment Services."
Because his soda fountain was so popular, Hillier was asked to manage the food and drinks at an amusement park in Rushcutters Bay. He also looked after other refreshment services in Sydney.
Starting the Chocolate Business
In 1914, Ernest Hillier opened his chocolate-making business. He started making chocolate right there in Australia. Before this, all chocolate in Australia had to be brought in from the USA and Europe. Because of the long distance and hot weather, the chocolate often arrived in bad condition. Ernest Hillier's local chocolate was a big improvement!
Later, during a tough economic time called the Great Depression, chocolate sales went down a lot in Sydney. So, Hillier moved his business to Melbourne, Victoria. Ernest Hillier eventually sold the business when he was older.
Financial Challenges and Recovery
In 2014, Ernest Hillier Chocolates faced some money problems and was sold to another company. This new company tried to help, but they couldn't fix things. In early 2015, the chocolate company had to go into a special process called "voluntary administration." This happened because the price of cocoa (which chocolate is made from) was going up, and there was more competition from other chocolate makers.
Luckily, Ernest Hillier Chocolates came out of this administration process in mid-2015. As of March 2016, they were still making chocolates at their factory in Coburg North.
However, in June 2023, the company again faced difficulties. They had to appoint administrators and stop making products at their Melbourne factory. This was because the cost of raw materials and shipping had increased a lot, making it hard to make a profit. In August of that year, another company called Yowie Group bought their assets.
