Tom's of Maine, which for 36 years has sweetened the breath and tamed the body odour of the granola set, has finally decided to give up control to a giant corporation.

Colgate-Palmolive is buying a majority interest in Tom's, whose toothpastes and deodorants have slowly moved from shelves of health-food stores to the mainstream. Colgate is paying about $100m for an 84 per cent stake in the company.