Here’s your chance to get your hands on an SA homegrown iconic bakery
It’s a bittersweet time for owner Jacqui Gant as she reflects on 30 years of Kipling’s Bakery. Now officially on the market, she looks back on how the humble sideline business has grown into an iconic stop for people travelling through the highway town of Port Wakefield.
For the past 20 years, Jacqui, Tod, and their loyal staff have poured in their heart and soul. “I love making people happy,” Jacqui said. “We are part of people’s lives, creating awesome memories of their holidays, which of course always includes a stop at our bakery! We have customers who have been coming here for years too, long before we took over the family business.”
It was December 1993 when John and Ann Kipling, Jacqui’s parents, flung open the doors to Kipling’s Bakery. Initially selling Tiptop and Balfours products, it was a few years later when John and Ann moved on from their distribution business, that John dived into baking, creating what’s now a booming business perched at the top of Yorke Peninsula. Their vision, which stands today, was to provide daily, traditional, top-quality fresh-baked goods to locals and travellers. It’s the perfect pit stop for a break, before continuing the journey along the highway or down the leg to explore the spectacular sights of Yorke Peninsula.
Having moved to the city a decade before, a “sliding doors” moment for Jacqui saw her and partner Tod, return to Port Wakefield to begin managing the bakery, and in 2009, officially took over ownership of the business. Tod, a trained chef became head baker and together with Jacqui at the helm, grew the business into what it is today – one of the top bakeries in South Australia.
And being at the top of their game means a swag of loyal customers file through their little maroon shop. Known for its warm hospitality, and generous portion sizes, at peak holiday times the line-up can be 50 deep out the door, and although not a long wait, it’s worth it. Just last week, on a single Saturday, 1263 pies, pasties, and sausage rolls were sold, not to mention hundreds of other products from their expansive menu. Having made a few additions over the years, the selection has largely stayed the same, promising traditional favourites just like John and Ann intended.
Arguably the best seller on the menu is their famous sausage roll. Coming in close behind are satay, cheese & bacon and pepper pies as well as kranskys and pasties. For the sweet tooth no one can go past a Kipling’s Bakery donut – a melt in the mouth traditional treat. Fresh buns, delectable kitcheners and berlinas also lead the pack of sweet sellers. Banburies which aren’t found in many bakeries, delight customers with their crispy, buttery, and flaky sweetness with sticky fruit filling.
The Kipling name has become synonymous with Port Wakefield and not just for their baking prowess. Many a Kipling has been part of the town’s stories, and more notably Jacqui’s grandfather “Possum” Kipling, or “Pos” to those who knew him, who in 1955 built the first service station in Port Wakefield, just up the road from where the bakery sits today. Also known as one of Australia’s Redex Car Trials motoring legends, “Pos” gave back to the community he loved, just as John, Ann, Jacqui, and Tod have done throughout their years in the bakery, generously supporting their town’s clubs and community groups including the surrounding areas.
With the end of the Kipling era, there’s now a chance for the next passionate owner to carry the torch and keep the Kipling Bakery legacy alive and thriving for the thousands of people who pass through its doors each year.
For more information about Kipling’s Bakery be sure to follow their Facebook page.
Details of the sale can be found here.
