Ouma (commonly referred to as Ouma Rusks) is a South African rusk made from a traditional buttermilk recipe.[1] It was first produced in the rural town of Molteno, in the Eastern Cape, by Elizabeth Ann Greyvenstyn in 1939,[2] in response to an initiative by the town's pastor to help the entrepreneurial efforts of the women in his congregation.[3] The brand currently dominates the relatively-small local rusk market, and is manufactured in the same town it was first produced.[4]
History
In an effort to reduce the negative impact of the Great Depression, the town's pastor offered each female member of his congregation money to start local businesses and increase their family income.[5]