Leadership that keeps the bakery moving
Marli van der Merwe leads Rusk with a practical eye on quality, timing and the kind of consistency people expect when they order rusks for home, office or gifting. She keeps the business grounded in Paarl while making sure customers in Durbanville, Somerset West and further afield get the same standard in every box.
Her day often starts early, checking production plans, stock levels and delivery schedules. She works closely with the team on batch planning and customer needs, and she is known for keeping communication straight and clear, with no fuss.
Thabo Mokoena manages operations and makes sure the moving parts line up properly from ingredients to dispatch. Load-shedding, late supplier arrivals and busy month-end orders all land on his radar, and he handles them with calm attention so the rest of the team can keep baking and packing.
- Production planning and scheduling
- Stock and ingredient control
- Delivery coordination for local and nationwide orders
- Keeping the team on track during busy runs
The baking hands behind every batch
Anika Smit is the head baker and the person who guards the flavour, texture and bake on every tray. Her work matters from the first mix through to the final bake, and she knows how much a small change in temperature or resting time can affect the end result.
She works with home-style buttermilk rusks and muesli rusks, checking each batch for the right colour, crunch and size. On humid days in the Western Cape, she adjusts the process to keep the rusks drying properly, and when winter mornings are cold she keeps an extra close eye on timing. That attention shows in every bite, even if it sounds simple.
Anika also trains newer team members on handling, hygiene and product consistency, because a good recipe only works when the process is respected every time. She likes things done properly, and it shows.
Production that turns good work into steady supply
Liyema Jacobs supervises production and keeps the line organised once baking is underway. She checks that trays are moving through the right stages, that packing materials are ready, and that the team can keep up with orders without cutting corners.
Her role is hands-on from the first rush of the morning to the final count at day end. If a wholesale order is due to leave Paarl for Stellenbosch, or a gift parcel needs to go out before lunch, she makes sure the team knows what must happen next and in what order.
Liyema is also the one who spots small issues before they become delays, such as a packaging shortage or a pallet that needs to be reworked. It is careful work and not always flashy, but it keeps the business dependable.
Customer orders handled with care
Zanele Khumalo looks after customer orders and is often the first friendly point of contact for people asking about sample boxes, subscription packs or fundraiser orders. She handles enquiries by email and keeps track of what each customer has asked for, whether it is a single gift hamper or a regular business order.
Her job needs patience and a good memory, because no two orders are exactly the same. A corporate gifting request in Franschhoek may need branded notes and staggered delivery, while a family order in Wellington might need a few extra boxes for visitors over the weekend. Zanele keeps those details in order, and she does it with a steady manner.
She also follows up on delivery queries and helps customers understand lead times for larger orders. Clear answers save everyone time, especially when people are planning around school events, holidays or month end.
- Online order support
- Sample box queries
- Subscription pack coordination
- Fundraiser and event order assistance
Wholesale support for shops, cafés and hospitality
Pieter le Roux manages wholesale accounts and works with stockists and business customers across Paarl, Wellington, Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, Somerset West and Durbanville. He understands that trade clients need regular supply, accurate counts and simple communication, not long stories.
He spends much of his time checking order patterns, confirming volumes and making sure hospitality customers get the right products for breakfast tables, staff rooms or guest welcome packs. In a region where tourism can change fast from season to season, Pieter keeps an eye on what is needed now and what should be planned for next week.
He also supports custom hamper requests and corporate gifting runs, where timing and neat presentation matter just as much as the contents. That kind of work needs a practical person who can keep things moving without missing the details.
How the team works together each day
What holds Rusk together is not one person, but the way the team shares the load. Marli sets direction, Thabo keeps operations steady, Anika protects the bake, Liyema keeps production moving, Zanele manages customer communication and Pieter looks after trade relationships. Everyone knows where they fit and what the customer needs at the end of it.
The work changes with the season, the order list and even the weather, but the standard stays the same. That means good ingredients, proper handling, clean packing and honest communication from Paarl to the rest of the country.
If you are ordering for home, business or an event, this is the group making sure it gets to you in good shape. Simple as that, and it works well.
- Consistent product quality
- Clear communication from enquiry to delivery
- Careful packing for nationwide shipping
- Local knowledge of Western Cape stockists and delivery needs