The names behind the Lithuanian Business, Maistas continued...

Jonas Šlyteris

Jonas Šlyteris was born on 29 August 1895 in Smunkučiai village, Jurbarkas district, Lithuania.

During the First World War, Jonas was mobilised into the Russian Imperial Army and served in its ranks. After returning to Lithuania, he answered the call to serve his newly restored homeland and on 14 January 1919 volunteered to join the Lithuanian Army. He took part in the struggles for Lithuanian independence, fighting against both the Bermontian forces and the Polish army.

Following the establishment of independent Lithuania, Jonas joined the Lithuanian Postal Service. Throughout his career, he served as a postmaster in Vievys, Šėta and Vilkija. In recognition of his contribution to the country, he was awarded the Medal of the Tenth Anniversary of Lithuanian Independence in 1928.

At the end of the Second World War, as the front once again approached Lithuania, Jonas was forced to retreat westwards. Like many Lithuanians of his generation, he left his homeland behind and eventually arrived in Australia in 1949. Initially settling in Tasmania, he later moved to Sydney, where he became an active member of the Lithuanian community.

After retiring in 1960, Jonas shared his life with his former business partner and close friend, Juozas Grybas. In retirement, he enjoyed the simple pleasures of life, especially fishing and hunting.

Although he had built a new life in Australia, Jonas never forgot his family in Lithuania. From the savings he had earned through his work, he provided strong financial support to his wife and daughters, Irena and Nijolė, who remained in Lithuania.

Jonas was deeply involved in the life of the Sydney Lithuanian community. He was a committed member of the Lithuanian Veterans’ Association Ramovė, serving on its committees, and also contributed to broader community activities, including serving for a time on the district board.

Jonas Šlyteris passed away in Sydney on 7 January 1978. Until the end of his life, he waited with hope for the arrival of his daughter from Lithuania; sadly, she was only able to reach Australia after her father had already passed away.

His funeral took place on 20 January 1978. Following the service, his remains were cremated at the Rookwood Crematorium, marking the final farewell to a man whose life reflected courage, service, resilience and dedication to both Lithuania and the Lithuanian community in Australia.

1978-02-06-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf p.2 J. Kapočius Military volunteer

The names behind the Lithuanian Business, Maistas continued...

Pranas Švarcas

Pranas Švarcas was born on 6 May 1905 in Sudargas village, Šakiai district, Lithuania, into a farming family. After graduating from the Jurbarkas Secondary Gymnasium, he was called up for military service. Following his discharge to the reserve, he remained at home for a period before joining the Lithuanian border police.

During his service in the police force, Pranas married, although the couple did not have children. When the Soviet Army advanced into Lithuania for the second time, Pranas and his wife were forced to flee their homeland and seek refuge in Germany. There, he found employment at the Wolff arms factory.

In 1948, Pranas arrived in Australia. After a short period in a migrant transit camp, he was sent to Sydney to complete his two-year employment contract as part of the post-war migrant labour program.

He worked in the water supply department, where his duties included digging trenches for the installation of sewerage pipes. After completing his contract, his dedication and reliability were recognised, and he was offered a position in the laboratory of the same organisation. He accepted and continued working there until his retirement.

Pranas was remembered as a devoted Lithuanian and a strong patriot. He had a particular love for Lithuanian history and maintained a deep connection with his homeland. Although he did not belong to formal organisations, partly because he preferred to avoid organisational disagreements, he supported Lithuanian life in his own quiet and practical way.

During the construction of the Lithuanian Hall in Bankstown, Pranas willingly volunteered his time and skills, helping with various building tasks. He took great pride and happiness in seeing a permanent home being created for the Lithuanian community in Sydney.

On 6 May 1983, Pranas Švarcas passed away suddenly at his home in Bankstown, on his 78th birthday.

His funeral Mass was held on 11 May at Lidcombe Church and was celebrated by Rev. P. Butkus, with Fr. A. Savickas playing the organ. Following the service, family members and friends accompanied Pranas to his final resting place at Rookwood Cemetery.

May he rest peacefully in Australian soil, far from the beloved homeland he carried in his heart.

 1983-05-30-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf p.2

The names behind the Lithuanian business, Maistas

Juozas Grybas  

1909.3.13- 4 December 1995

Juozas Grybas was born in Kudirkos Naumiestis, Lithuania. After his parents moved to Jurbarkas, he spent his childhood and part of his youth there. Later, he moved to Kaunas, where he gained valuable experience working at the Lithuanian “Maistas” enterprise.

Returning to Jurbarkas, Juozas continued his involvement in community life. As an active member of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union (Šauliai), he established a Shooting Club in the town. His professional journey later took him to several locations and organisations, including four years working at Baltijos Lloyd in Klaipėda, as well as positions with “Maistas” in Klaipėda, Šiauliai and Naujoji Vilnia.

In 1944, as the Red Army advanced towards Lithuania for the second time, the Grybas family was forced to leave their homeland and seek refuge in Germany. After spending five years there, they emigrated to Australia, arriving in 1949 and being placed at the Greta Migrant Camp in New South Wales.

After completing his two-year employment contract, the family settled permanently in St Ives, Sydney.

Drawing on his extensive experience in trade and the meat industry, Juozas, together with his partners, established a meat products factory. The business became a great success, and for approximately ten years its products were enjoyed not only by the people of Sydney, but also by communities in Newcastle and Wollongong.

After retirement, Juozas enjoyed a quieter life surrounded by nature. He found happiness in fishing, gardening and spending time outdoors.

The Grybas family was a wonderful example of dedication to the Lithuanian community. They were regular participants in Lithuanian church services, cultural events, preparations and concerts. Lithuanian affairs always remained one of their highest priorities. They supported the community wholeheartedly and never passed the donation table without contributing, regardless of who was collecting funds.

Following the funeral service, Juozas Grybas’ remains were accompanied by family, friends and members of the Lithuanian community to their final resting place in the Lithuanian section of the cemetery.

 1995-12-18-MUSU-PASTOGE.pdf p.11 by AVK

Maistas: A New Lithuanian Enterprise in Australia

In 1955, a Lithuanian meat trading and smallgoods manufacturing company known as “Maistas” was established in Sydney. The company was founded by five Lithuanian community members: Jonas Šlyteris, Juozas Grybas, Gediminas Umbražiūnas, Pranas Švarcas and Vacys Ambraška.

The company began by purchasing a butcher shop in Dulwich Hill and, within a short period, successfully increased its turnover fourfold. However, selling meat was only the beginning of their vision. From the very first days, plans were underway to establish a purpose-built meat processing operation.

After acquiring the necessary machinery, completing the factory facilities, and receiving approval from health and other regulatory authorities, production commenced. The machinery of “Maistas” began operating, and clouds of smoke rose from the smokehouse as traditional Lithuanian-style smoked meats and sausages were produced.

On 12 August, the shareholders, together with several invited guests, modestly celebrated the official opening of the company.

At the beginning, “Maistas” employed six people and processed more than 1,000 kilograms of meat each day. The company produced a range of European-style smallgoods, including salami, mortadella, liverwurst, frankfurts and smoked ham.

Production was supervised by Juozas Grybas, who brought valuable experience from Lithuania, where he had worked for many years in the Lithuanian “Maistas” factories managing sausage and other processed food departments.

The name “Maistas” carried a special meaning for Lithuanian immigrants. In Lithuania, the original Maistas was a major state-owned meat industry and trading company established in 1923, with its headquarters in Kaunas, operating until the Soviet occupation in 1940. The word maistas simply means “food” in English, but for many Lithuanians it represented quality, tradition and memories of their homeland.

The new Australian “Maistas” proudly continued this tradition. Its modern equipment, strict cleanliness standards and dedication to quality reflected the values of the Lithuanian company that had inspired it. The owners hoped that their sausages, hams and other products would satisfy not only Lithuanian customers but also the wider Australian community accustomed to European flavours.

To support the Lithuanian community, compatriots were offered discounts of up to 20% when purchasing “Maistas” products directly from the company, with home delivery also available.

The company operated successfully for approximately ten years, becoming another example of the determination, enterprise and cultural commitment of Lithuanian migrants building new lives in Australia.

Musu Pastoge Wed 17 Aug 1955

Lithuanian Businesses in Australia

Jonas Kedys wrote this article in Musu Pastoge in 1955 about trying to start businesses in Australia. 

Many will have read the article "On the Path of Independence" in the August 10 issue of Musu Pastoge. If we had to draw conclusions from this article, it would seem that we have already achieved something in the business field over the past few years. However, when I recall the information from the same "Mūsų Pastogė" about setting up businesses, already three or four years ago, then even then there were probably no less than all kinds of companies, workshops, stores and other businesses among Lithuanians. Unfortunately, we must admit the fact that now only a few of the previously established businesses, of which there were already a dozen at that time, remain, and others, due to their inability to adapt to the market, had to close. Thus, we come to the conclusion that it is difficult for the vast majority of us to set up businesses. Only a small part is able to overcome all the obstacles and difficulties. Where do the main reasons for this failure lie? 

Those starting a business should first of all know that we live in a country where trade and industry are well-developed, this country is full of industries and trade branches, the centers of which are usually abroad: Great Britain, America, Germany and elsewhere. These large companies dictate prices not only for Australia, but also partly for the whole world. So, in order for a newly established company to break into the market, it is necessary to maintain the competition of old companies - to produce goods not only of no lower quality than those already existing, but perhaps even cheaper. And this is not easy to achieve, and therefore many newcomers cannot jump over this competitive barrier. So, when starting a business, two main conditions are necessary: a) sufficient capital for the start-up and b) good theoretical or practical knowledge of the business branch in which one wants to start. Capital is needed to purchase modern machinery, if it is a manufacturing enterprise, or suitable premises in a good location, if a trading enterprise is being established. Production in a primitive way, or trade in the outback — in the conditions of this region, does not promise a good future for an entrepreneur.

Since our people have not yet saved up a large amount of capital, there is only one option left for creating any company: for a few or a few to throw all their resources into a common pot and only with sufficient capital to start trade or production. However, even such a company must have at least one specialist among its members who would understand both the theoretical and practical side of the envisaged business. No one will achieve good results by creating any business with the goal of "helping compatriots". Here I mean the existence of business only for Lithuanian affairs. There are so few Lithuanians in Australia, and they are so scattered over the vast country that no business can survive from them alone. It seems that our first, and indeed Europeans in general, were not successful in business only because they were based not on the majority of the country where they lived, but only on a small minority of their own. It is difficult to say what businesses to pursue more. This depends a lot on local conditions, available capital and the theoretical and practical preparation required to create the intended business. It is worth trying to go into business, because if you succeed, you can create a brighter future for yourself.

J.P. Kedys

Musu Pastoge, Thursday 8 September 1955, page 3