Yaya started baking rusks for the families she cared for as a nanny. She learned how to bake rusks from Granny Jill, a matriarch in one of the families she worked for, and has been perfecting them ever since.
She’s a mom of two and currently a full-time nanny to twin boys in Parkhurst, Johannesburg. In April 2025, she spoke to her employer Kate Wilkinson about earning extra income and was encouraged to start selling her rusks.
Her muesli rusks quickly found fans beyond her neighbourhood. What began with a single Instagram post grew fast. Within weeks, she had thousands of followers, features in national media, and batches selling out in minutes.
Yaya has partnered with MamaMacs, making her rusks available to a wider audience across South Africa. Her online community loves her just as much as they love her rusks.