Tooth and Co.

Tooth's major asset was Kent Brewery, although Tooth had numerous other assets; it owned Blue Bow Cordials (which later produced Blue Bow Lemonade), it acquired the Maltings at Mittagong in 1905,[2] Maltings at Carlton Street, Sydney, Resch's Limited and their Waverley Brewery in 1929,[3] numerous hotels and considerable land.

The original Tooth and Co produced many beers, of which only two remain on the market – KB Lager and Kent Old Brown.

[7] Tooth was losing business to the takeaway packaged beer market, and established Bottle-Mart, whose original spokesman was the comedian Spike Milligan.

Tooth relied primarily on the pub industry; however, clubs were becoming increasingly important as a liquor outlet.

In 1978, Tooth acquired the Courage Brewery in Victoria, signifying a major move into the Victorian market.

[8] The logo and trademark of Tooth and Co was based on the battle standard of two Saxon chiefs, Hengist (stallion) and Horsa (horse) who invaded Britain more than 1,400 years ago, landing at Ebbsfleet in 449 AD.

A more recent annual report (1995) showed both the gelding and a knight, located on the corner of a chess board.

The honeypot was banned and instead Tooth would issue plastic tokens allowing employees to take home one carton of beer per week for their private enjoyment.

Depending on perceived value to the company, alcoholism could lead either to summary dismissal, or to a drying out period at a clinic.

Tooth appointed McKinsey and Company, a management consultant firm, to review its procedures, which was headed by Fred Hilmer, a strong advocate of free competition.

Following the review, Tooth made a number of structural changes; McKinsey generally followed the Harvard school of thought that the company should use external consultants for its non-core activities.

Between 1975 and 1980, Tooth made numerous acquisitions, two of which were Wright-Heaton Pty Ltd (a catering firm), and Budge Refrigeration.

In 1975, Tooth reconstructed the brewing facilities at Irving Street, Sydney, which was funded from cash flow.

In 1981, a controlling interest in Tooth and Co was acquired by David Jones (Properties) Pty Ltd, then a division of the Adelaide Steamship Company, known as AdSteam, a corporate raider and asset stripper.

Under the pressure of its debt, AdSteam was forced to liquidate all tangible assets, although its bankers had agreed to an orderly sale.

The disposal started in 1991, and concluded on 24 December 1999 when AdSteam, under its new name of Residual Assco Group Limited, was delisted.

The owners of Dextran, and hence IEL, were now called Residual Assco, DJL and Tooth, and still share the tax liability.

Each year the three companies (Residual Assco, DJL, and Tooth) went through the formality of an Annual General Meeting.

The brewery site was demolished and is now high-rise units, shopping, green space and offices, with the exception of a heritage chimney and a gate.

The Maltings at Carlton Street, Sydney, and at Mittagong were managed by three brothers Ernest, Clarrie and Arthur Jones.

Walter Jardine (1884–1970), an internationally known commercial artist of the era, was contracted to do a series of ink and water colour posters for Tooths.

These pub posters sought to advertise beer by associating it with sport, health and cultural sophistication.