Australia’s First Chocolatiers

In 1914, Ernest Hillier opened Australia’s first chocolate shop on Pitt Street, Sydney. What began as a humble soda fountain and confectionery service soon blossomed into a national legacy of chocolate craftsmanship.

Originally from England, Ernest Hillier and his Australian wife Magdalen May arrived in Sydney with big dreams and little else, following an earthquake that destroyed their restaurant ventures in San Francisco. Hillier quickly made history—opening Australia’s first soda fountain in 1911, and by 1914, creating chocolates made fresh daily, right here in Australia.

Back then, all chocolate was imported—and it arrived poorly. Ernest changed that. He believed Australians deserved better. Using only the finest ingredients and made locally for local conditions, Hillier chocolates set a new standard. His 600-seat Pitt Street store, complete with a 42-foot-long soda fountain, marked the birth of Australian chocolate making.

By the 1920s, Hillier’s was an empire: multiple stores, a factory in Surry Hills, and over 400 employees. Even during challenging times like the Great Depression, the vision endured—eventually moving operations to Melbourne, where the famous Collins Street store became a new icon.

In 2000, Hillier’s acquired Newman’s, another historic Australian confectionery name, further deepening its legacy of quality and care.

Today, more than 110 years since it began, Ernest Hillier remains proudly Australian-owned. We still make chocolate the same way—crafted with care, using traditional methods, and only the finest ingredients.