Meet the Producers -
Lush Bakes

For any newcomers, who are you and what do you do?

Lush Bakes brings home-baked goodness to the Isle of Man, using locally sourced products and Manx produce in our lush, delicious South African bakes. We currently do South African rusks, a range of delicious biscuits and fudges. 

When did you establish your business?

We launched in 2022.

What inspired you to begin?

We used to bake for home and friends, and on many occasions were told that we should make our bakes available to people on the Isle of Man, as they were just too amazing to not have others also be able to enjoy them. 

How has your business grown since then?

We first tried our basic South African recipes with 3 flavour variants of South African Rusk products, as well as two traditional biscuit recipes, which we sold at Christmas markets in 2022. The response was really amazing, and people loved our products. Since we started, we have attended various Isle of Man markets, events and shows with great response every time.  

Our range has expanded to 6 different rusks and 4 different biscuit products and we have recently (due to public request), added an exciting range of what we call “Lush-Free Rusks”, to cater for people with select food intolerances. In addition to Isle of Man Markets, our products are currently also available in Robinson’s, Woodbourne Deli and Tynwald Mills Deli. 

Lush Bakes has grown exponentially within the last 10 months, and our brand has established itself within the local market. We see customers returning time and time again, with smiles and great comments about our bakes! Lush Bakes look forward to bringing more delectable products to our customers as our business grows. 

Where are you based and what does that community mean to you?

We are based in Onchan, where our home bakes are produced. We value the Isle of Man community, as without our loyal, as well as new and future customers, we would not be able to share our bakes for people to enjoy! In addition, we take pride in having supported charitable groups and events in the past, and with the continued support from our customers, Lush Bakes hope to be able to be in a position to support more events and charities in the future. 

What does the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival mean to you?

Being at the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival for the first time, is a great honour to us at Lush Bakes, as it will not only expose our products and brand to a very large part of the Island’s population, but we will also be able to sample and support some of the wonderful products and produce of other vendors, bakers and producers. It is also a great event to connect with our customers and get valued feedback on our products. 

Which other local producer(s) are you most looking forward to seeing this year?

We look forward to seeing one of our key suppliers, the Isle of Man Creamery, as well as our friends and co-producers on the Island, like Kionslieu Relishes, Red Mie, Sugar & Spice to name a few. It is always exciting meeting new vendors and producers and establishing lasting relationships… 

What’s on the horizon for your business?

Lush Bakes continuously explores to create unique flavours, expanding our product range to bring new delights to our customers. We look forward to presenting a limited-edition Rusk-product which will only be available at the Isle of Man Food & Drinks Festival 2023! 

What is your signature dish/product?

We are familiarising the local community with our wide range of Traditional South African Rusks, which are amazing to have with hot drinks, and make for exceptional “dunkers”! However, we have to mention that our show-stopper products remain to be our Coffee Cookies & Custard Creams!