The Story
The spirit of the Anzac biscuit — from Gallipoli to your kitchen table.
"They shall grow not old"
On 25 April 1915, thousands of young New Zealanders landed on a narrow beach at Gallipoli. Many had never left home before. They came from farms in Canterbury, timber mills in the Waikato, and fishing boats in Marlborough. They were clerks and shearers, teachers and labourers. They were someone's son, someone's brother, someone's mate.
Of the 8,556 New Zealanders who served at Gallipoli, 2,779 were killed and over 4,700 were wounded. The campaign lasted eight months. Its legacy has lasted over a century.
From Gallipoli to the Western Front, from Passchendaele to Crete, from Korea to Vietnam and beyond — New Zealanders have answered the call to serve. More than 30,000 have given their lives.
The biscuit that crossed oceans
The Anzac biscuit was born from love and necessity. During WWI, wives, mothers, and community groups in New Zealand and Australia baked hard-wearing oat biscuits that could survive the long sea voyage to soldiers overseas without spoiling.
Rolled oats, golden syrup, butter, flour, and coconut — simple ingredients chosen because they kept well and because eggs, which spoiled quickly, weren't needed.
They were originally called "soldier's biscuits." After the Gallipoli campaign, they became known as Anzac biscuits — a name that has endured for over a century.
Today, the Anzac biscuit is one of New Zealand's most recognised foods. It's baked in kitchens across the country every April, shared at dawn services, and sold in supermarkets to raise funds for the RSA. It's more than a biscuit. It's a connection to the people who served and the families who waited for them to come home.
A Timeline of Remembrance
New Zealand soldiers land at Gallipoli. Families at home bake oat biscuits to send to their boys overseas — the origin of the Anzac biscuit.
The NZ Returned and Services' Association is founded to support returning servicemen — while the war is still being fought.
The Battle of Passchendaele. 846 New Zealanders killed in a single day — the darkest day in New Zealand's military history.
ANZACS for RSA launches, partnering with the NZ RSA to raise funds through collectible Anzac biscuit tins.
Centenary of the Gallipoli landings. Special commemorative tins sell out within days across New Zealand.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, New Zealanders stand at their driveways at dawn on Anzac Day. The 2020 collection becomes a symbol of that unprecedented national moment.
A landmark collaboration with Dame Trelise Cooper, who designs a stunning limited edition tin that becomes an instant collector favourite.
ANZACS for RSA celebrates its tenth year — a full decade of remembrance, community, and supporting New Zealand veterans.
Close to $1 million raised for the NZ RSA. Twelve years of biscuits, tins, and unwavering commitment to honouring those who served.
Standing by those who served
The New Zealand Returned and Services' Association has been supporting veterans and their families since 1916 — established while the war was still being fought.
Today, the RSA provides welfare support, advocacy, and community connection for veterans of all conflicts, as well as currently serving personnel and their families. From helping aging WWII veterans access care, to supporting the mental health of those who served in Afghanistan, the RSA's work is as vital now as it has ever been.
Every tin and every packet of ANZACS for RSA biscuits contributes directly to this work. $1 from every tin and 30 cents from every packet goes to the NZ RSA.
$1
per tin sold
30c
per packet sold
~$1M
raised to date