The presentation of the book, ‘Nick Thyssen: The Story of the Great Innovator to Remember’, by Professor Anastasios M. Tamis, at the Arcadian Ballroom in November drew some 400 guests. The event was organised by the Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies (AIMS) in collaboration with the family of industrialist and benefactor Nick Thyssen.
The presentation ceremony was opened by the Vice President of Arcadians, Betty Dimitropoulou, who welcomed the attendees and introduced veteran television presenter and journalist, John Mangos, as emcee.
Mangos stressed the importance of recording the history of Hellenism in Australia and welcomed Nikos (Theodosiadis) Thyssen and his wife Maureen, the industrialist whose innovative ideas influenced and shaped the history of food production in Australia, and whose generosity and honesty helped thousands of workers in large urban centres and vast rural Australia to find work, while significantly boosting local production, supporting citrus growers and farmers, by subsidising their products.
He invited the president of the Panarcadian Association of Melbourne “O Kolokotronis”, George Kotsirilos who spoke about Thyssen’s pioneer journey in the history of the natural citrus industry, and stressed that “since he was a child, he had connected the Patras Juice Industry with the Peloponnese and Greece”.
Kotsirilos reminisced about the “parked kiosk that served for the first time in the world fresh orange juice on the corner of Lonsdale and Swanston streets”.
The president of the Panarcadians was followed by the Chair of the Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HACCI), Fotini Kypraios who talked about the life of Nikos Thyssen and the “hard years” of his life in Greece, “the years of war and poverty, the pace of survival when he discovered Australia, the years of struggle, having by his side his wife, Maureen, the years of his progressive success until the years of initial recognition, the Patras Juice Company”.
Kypraiou talked about his “successful industrial units”, and innovation which “carved new pages in the history of the food industry in Australia”.
The HACCI chair was followed by former National Sales Manager, Alan Marion, who with humour referenced incidents in Thyssen’s career, his “unique ability to deal with the beasts” in the market, the Australian, British, and American multinational companies”.
Philip Williamson, a major citrus producer in Riverina, NSW referred to Thyssen’s approach to farmers and his “innovative payment system which provided a premium for fruit producers”.
“This authentic and peculiar Greek, who came penniless to Australia and offered employment to thousands of workers and producers to sustain their families and overcome financial difficulties,” said Williamson.
Jeff Kennett, the former Victorian premier, described Thyssen as an “important visionary” and one of the “most innovative industrialists in the Australian food industry and worldwide”.
Kennett provided anecdotal snapshots of Nick’s private life, from when both, found themselves to be supporters, fans, and sponsors of South Melbourne Hellas.
Kennett also praised the author, as someone “who recorded and highlighted the Greek Diaspora in Australia, New Zealand and the Eastern Hemisphere”.
Kennett joked, “Of the three books that I have launched by Tassos Tamis, this book is the one I can fully understand”.
Kennett was followed by author, Prof. Tamis, who referred to the years in Greece, as a “were a period of war, poverty, and famine”.
“Nick Thyssen is a brilliant phenomenon of entrepreneurship, who did not try to copy other people’s successes or do something that already existed.
“He had original ideas which he implemented, he founded new production methods, introduced his own machinery and ways of producing and distributing his products,” said Prof Tamis.
“So successful were Nick Thyssen’s techniques that his inventions were bought by British and American interests and with his contribution changed, on a global scale, the production marketing and distribution of natural juices, fruit salads, soups and other foods” said Prof Tamis.
He went on to repeat sentiments about Thyssen’s “enormous contribution to the economy of the rural life of fruit growers and farmers in Victoria and NSW, and his philanthropic and honest way of dealing with producers.”
He supported producers and their families with employment and good prices, relieving many of them of financial problems.
Finally, the man of the hour, Nick Thyssen rose and spoke. He stressed that Australia opened “opportunities to the strong and weak, above races, languages, religions and cultures, to acquire goods and live with happiness”.
Thyssen became visibly moved, when he took out a five-pound note from his pocket which his father George gave him, as a 16 years old, before climbing the stairs of Kyrenia to migrate to Australia.
Thyssen thanked his wife Maureen who, even on their wedding day in October 1961, returned to their makeshift factory to cut fruit for fruit salads, while still pregnant. He thanked his eldest daughter Laney, who after the unexpected death of his son, Adam George, took over the management of the business. Finally, he thanked Prof Tamis for his contribution.
The event ended with a photographic presentation of Nick Thyssen and with the background music of award-winning harpist, Michael Johnson.
The monograph Nick Thyssen: The Story of a Great Innovator to Remember will be available in all Australian bookstores as well as on the Australian Institute of Macedonian Studies (AIMS) website. To order the book contact george.lioukas@aims.edu.au; or Panos.Gogidis@aims.edu.au
