Condolence

Paech, Mr Grant

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson—Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Recreation and Sport, Minister for Racing) (15:21): On indulgence, I wish to make a few remarks about the sad passing of Mr Grant Paech. Mr Paech, who passed away yesterday, was an outstanding South Australian and a proud son of the Adelaide Hills. He was a pioneer, innovator and very enterprising businessman. He demonstrated a lifelong passion for growing the very best produce and turning that into delicious high-quality food.

The company he formed, Beerenberg Farm, is a multimillion dollar business and is synonymous with the premium food industry in which our state excels. The Paech family came to South Australia from Prussia just three years after European settlement of the colony, and many generations have lived in the Hahndorf area ever since.

Born on 5 December 1940, Grant Lester Paech was a farmer who, almost by accident, developed a brand of jams that became hugely popular. After planting a batch of strawberries near the Paech family farm in the late 1960s, he started selling his crop from a roadside stall. One day he cooked up some leftover strawberries and made a dozen pots of jam that sold very quickly from his packing shed. This planted the seed for a business that branched out into other jams, plus condiments and sauces, and now sells its products across Australia and exports them to about 25 countries. Indeed, today you will find Beerenberg products in hotels and restaurants and on airlines all over the world. I must say, when you walk through shops in Hong Kong and Singapore and you see the Beerenberg label, it stirs a certain amount of pride in South Australia.

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: The member for Chaffey is interjecting about his fig jam, and we know he is famous for his fig jam, and he is at shows right across the state.

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: And I didn't think that was how you got your nickname—but it is fig jam and ginger, as I understand.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: Yes. Besides setting a fine example through his own work, Mr Paech was an inaugural member of Food Adelaide and an influential member of our state's food industry. It is through Food Adelaide that I first met Mr Paech when we had a Russian delegation of buyers out here in about 2007. I went up there with Food Adelaide and they were amazed by the range of products that Beerenberg had on offer. It really points out how we can value-add, and this is something the government is keen to do. As we value-add into that luxury area, we value-add into taking something that is a raw product and making sure that we can get more money for that by processing it here and sending it interstate and overseas. Mr Paech was an absolute leader in that area. He did not selfishly sit there and huddle around his own produce and not let anyone know the secrets. He led by example and inspired many more people in the South Australian food industry.

In 2015 South Australia has a well-earned reputation both for producing premium quality food and wine and for being a superb tourism destination. Our deliberate combining of those two assets is a valuable and highly marketable point of difference for our state. Grant Paech, along with his wife, Carol, and his family, played an instrumental role in practically demonstrating the success of that strategy. Beerenberg Farm in Hahndorf remains a true South Australian family business to this day and, of course, a lovely place to visit on a Sunday drive through the Hills.

Mr Paech's three children, Robert, Anthony and Sally, today run the company and do so with the same dedication as their father. I must say that all of them are also helping other food businesses around South Australia to increase their knowledge and their accessibility to interstate and overseas markets. On behalf of the government of South Australia, I extend my condolences to Carol Paech, their children and six grandchildren and to all who knew Grant Paech. May his legacy be a thriving family business and a premium food industry that continues to do our state proud.

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (15:25): On indulgence, I rise to also pay tribute to the life of Grant Paech, whose sad passing was reported in today's Advertiser. Mr Paech was born in Mount Barker in December 1940. He is a graduate of the Roseworthy Agricultural College. Originally a dairy farmer, Grant saw an opportunity to diversify, renaming the farm, selling off the cows, planting strawberries and trading jam from a roadside stall: a true entrepreneur for South Australia.

From these very humble beginnings, Grant Paech, together with his wife, Carol, and his children, was able to go on and grow this business into one of international reputation. It was a great fillip for South Australia when Beerenberg jams were selected to be presented to first class customers flying with Qantas. In 1993, Beerenberg launched its small foil packs to supply the hotel market, and after 20 years of production it holds close to 70 per cent of this niche in Australia.

The Paechs have continued to grow their business and create an award-winning company in the fields of horticulture and the food industry, with the iconic label being recognised in 2011 as the Telstra South Australian Business of the Year. Grant and his family continue to improve, expand and demand excellence from the Beerenberg company. His contribution to the food and tourism industries is of an international standard.

I first met Grant whilst president of the South Australian division of Family Business Australia. Both he and his son, Anthony, agreed to present to a forum of members. I must say that from the moment I met Grant, he was a gentleman, a gentleman who was a very successful businessman and one who was very willing to share the knowledge he had gained from working in such a successful family business with the rest of the family business sector in South Australia.

On behalf of the Liberal Party in South Australia, I extend our very sincere condolences to his wife, Carol, and to his children, Robert, Anthony and Sally, and of course to his many grandchildren. Vale, Grant Paech.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I think every South Australian knows of the Beerenberg name and would join with you in your thoughts.