D. & J. Fowler Ltd. facts for kids

D. & J. Fowler Ltd. was an important company in Adelaide, South Australia. It began as a small grocery shop in 1854, started by David Fowler. Soon, it grew into a major business that bought and sold goods in large amounts across the colony of South Australia. They were famous for creating the "Lion brand," which included many products like sweets, flour, coffee, and canned fruit. Even today, "Lion" brand flour is still sold, though by a different company. D. & J. Fowler Ltd. owned many other businesses, such as the Adelaide Milling Company (bought in 1895) and the Robur Tea Company (bought in 1928). The company was eventually taken over by Southern Farmers Ltd. in 1982-1983.

The Story of D. & J. Fowler Ltd.

A Centenary Exhibition at Centennial Hall in Wayville showing food produce, around 1936.

The Fowler company was started by two brothers, David and James, who came from Scotland. James arrived in South Australia in 1850 and opened a grocery store in Rundle Street, Adelaide. His older brother, David, joined him in 1854. They soon moved their shop to King William Street.

Sadly, James passed away in 1858. Later, their third brother, George Swan Fowler, came from Scotland in 1860 and became a partner in the business. The company kept the name D. & J. Fowler. By 1865, the business had grown so much that they opened an office in London, England. They also built a new main office in King William Street, Adelaide. Around this time, they stopped selling directly to customers and focused only on selling goods in large amounts (wholesale).

Growing the Business

The company needed more space as it grew. In 1873, they took over warehouses at Port Adelaide. These also became too small, so in 1881, they built a very large warehouse on Santo Parade. This new building could store a huge amount of goods.

D. & J. Fowler Ltd. also opened branches in other cities. These included Fremantle in Western Australia, Broken Hill in New South Wales, and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. They even became a dealer for Shell products and managed shipping for their own imports and exports like wool, wheat, and butter.

Making Their Own Products

Around 1880, the South Australian government started a policy to encourage local manufacturing. D. & J. Fowler Ltd. decided to start making their own grocery items.

They began by contracting farmers to grow chicory, which was used to make their "Lion" brand coffee. In 1883, they launched "Paou Chung" tea, which was the first packaged tea sold in South Australia. Later, in 1896, their very popular "Amgoorie" tea was introduced.

The company also took over other businesses to expand their range. They bought the "London Condiment Company" and renamed it the "Lion Preserving Company." This allowed them to make more canned fruits, jams, and pickles. They even set up a factory in Nuriootpa for "Lion" canned fruit. They also started the Lion Confectionery Works, making sweets.

In 1895, they bought the Adelaide Milling Company, which made flour. This led to their famous "Lion" brand flour. They also acquired the Adelaide Bottle Company in 1912 and the Robur Tea Company in 1928. Other products they made included "Maori" and "Clan" brands of oatmeal.

The Famous Lion Factory

In 1907, a new building called the "Lion Factory" was opened on North Terrace in Adelaide. This is where their "Lion" brand self-raising flour and other goods were packaged.

Today, this historic building has been updated and is no longer a factory. It is now known as the Lion Arts Centre. It is used as a place for music, art, and performances.

Changes in Leadership

David Fowler passed away in England in 1881, leaving George as the main partner. In 1899, D. & J. Fowler became a limited company. This meant that employees could own shares in the company.

Eventually, in 1982-1983, the company was taken over by Southern Farmers Ltd., another company based in Adelaide.

See also

• G. Wood, Son & Co. (another wholesale grocery company from Adelaide)
• Lion Arts Centre (for more information about the old Lion Factory building)