From cane toads to koeksisters — the unlikely rise of Sunshine Rusks.
Let’s be honest — if you told my younger self (born and bred in Northern New South Wales, where Vegemite reigns and the only “dipping” we do is our toes in the surf), that I’d one day launch a rusk business on the Sunshine Coast, I would have snorted my flat white straight out my nose.
Because what even is a rusk?
Is it a baby biscuit? A dry biscuit? A cousin of the biscotti? A cereal bar in denial?
If you’ve ever gagged while scraping your baby’s soggy teething rusk off your shirt (or, worse, out of your ear), you’re probably with me. But these rusks? These are a whole other story.
Blame the Husband (otherwise known as: the Apprentice)
Like all good stories involving food, international influence and identity confusion — it starts with love. My husband, a proud South African from just outside Cape Town, introduced me to the world of “lekker” long before I could pronounce it correctly.
I didn’t speak Afrikaans (unless you count knowing all the swear words), but I did know how to win someone over through food. I thought I’d impress him with a gooseberry tart. Spoiler alert: I’d never seen a gooseberry before. The tart turned into a soupy disaster that might’ve been featured on I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here. Still, I persisted.
Then came the muesli rusks. I made a batch so hard they could’ve been repurposed as medieval weaponry. If we’d been robbed, I could’ve defended the house with them. Not ideal. But after a few trips to South Africa and a lot of trial and error, I started to understand why food — and especially rusks — matter so much in South African culture.
A Love Letter to South African Cuisine
Once you’ve tasted the bold spices of Cape Malay curry, the comforting warmth of bobotie, the sweet shock of malva pudding, or the crispy syrupy joy of a koeksister, your taste buds just don’t go back. These flavours found their way into our Aussie household — and so did the humble rusk.
Rusks became more than just a dunkable delight; they became our universal love language.
- Someone had a baby? Here, have some rusks.
- Bought a property? Housewarming rusks.
- Camping trip? Don’t forget your rusks.
- Tough week? Rusk it out, mate.
- Dinner party? We’ll bring dessert. Also rusks.
Enter: Sunshine Rusks
About 14 years ago, I stumbled on the base recipe that would eventually become Sunshine Rusks. I began tweaking it with local ingredients, giving it a bit of Sunshine Coast flair; a touch of nutty goodness, a whisper of health-conscious crunch, and a big dose of comfort.
Fast forward and now there’s always a mason jar full of these golden, buttery beauties on our kitchen bench. They’re equal parts nourishing and nostalgic… and trust me, they disappear faster than your good intentions at a Bunnings sausage sizzle.
Aussie Soul, South African Heart
Sunshine Rusks is where Aussie sunshine meets South African soul. We blend traditional rusk recipes with local Aussie ingredients, baking in small batches with love and plenty of crunch. Our rusks are wholesome, hearty, and perfect for your morning brew or afternoon cuppa. Dip, dunk, crunch, repeat.
It’s time we stopped letting the South Africans keep all the good stuff to themselves. Try a Sunshine Rusk and you’ll get it: the dunking, the crunching, the happy sigh after that perfect bite.
So from one sun-loving, barefoot, coffee-slurping Aussie to you: go on, give them a crack.
You bring the coffee.
We’ll bring the rusks.
Sunshine Rusks — handmade with love in Noosa.