Kyriazi Freres

Kyriazi Freres (also spelled Kyriazi Frères and incorrectly "Kiriazi") was a cigarette manufacturing company established in 1873 in Egypt (some sources cite the year 1885). The company was founded by Ioannis Kyriazis, together with his brothers Efstathios and Epaminondas, although his other two brothers, George and Dimitris also played an active role in the company.

Neoclis Kyriazis, the son of George, would later become a medical doctor who, through his lectures on hygiene, warned the public about the health risks of tobacco smoke.

History

Ioannis’ father was Kyriazis Hadji-Kyriazis (b. 1817) from Kissos, in Mt. Pelion in Thessaly (Greece). He was a tobacco and overcoat merchant, married to Keratso Alexopoulou (first wife) and Maria (b1820, second wife). Ioannis went into the tobacco business in Smyrna, but was forced out of Greece by the imposition of the Turkish tobacco monopoly. He founded a company for the importation of tobacco and a cigarette factory in Muski Street in Cairo in Egypt, which later became known as Kyriazi Freres. The company was formally established in 1873, as advertised on all their products. In 1897 the brothers constructed a purpose-built factory in the Cairo district of Tewfikieh and they employed over 500 workers to manufacture hand-made cigarettes.