Yowie Group will manufacture and distribute a portfolio of seasonal products across 16 chocolate and confectionery product types for the heritage brands Violet Crumble, Polly Waffle and FruChocs.
The three-year seasonal chocolate and confectionery licence covers Australia and New Zealand, starts on 1 July, and has a targeted net sales revenue of $6.5 million over the term.
The non-exclusive licence excludes core bar products and is primarily focused on Easter and Christmas ranges. Distribution is planned for all major retail channels including supermarkets, convenience and independent retailers.
Minimum net revenue targets are staged across the licence period, comprising $1.0 million in Year 1, $2.5 million in Year 2, and $3.0 million in Year 3. Yowie Group said the phased targets reflect a gradual market entry, moving from initial core seasonal SKUs to broader distribution and new product innovation.
While the company is required to use best endeavours to promote sales and manufacture sufficient product to meet anticipated demand, the targets are not sales guarantees and remain subject to market conditions and customer uptake.
Yowie will use its Ernest Hillier manufacturing business, which it acquired in 2023, in Coburg North, Melbourne. The plant has been upgraded to FSSC 22000 food safety certification and SMETA ethical accreditation. The company has also expanded technical capability, including chocolate moulding, panning, spinning and enrobing.
Yowie said the upgraded capabilities support higher-value seasonal formats and are expected to lift factory utilisation and improve operational leverage.
Yowie Group Global CEO, Jarrod Milani, said the agreement validated Ernest Hillier’s manufacturing capability and the group’s broader strategy.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome these wonderful brands to our seasonal sales lineup in Australia and New Zealand. This licence is a strong validation of Ernest Hillier’s manufacturing capability and broader strategy to rebuild a scaled confectionery platform,” Milani said.
He said the licence will also strengthen procurement scale across cocoa and key raw materials, improve freight efficiency and support additional local employment at the Coburg North site.
