James Aitken & Co operated as brewers in Falkirk. The company was established by James Aitken in Falkirk in 1740 and was incorporated as James Aitken & Co in 1900 with the registration number SC004558. The company acquired the North Port Brewery, Brechin, Angus, in 1910, the Rothbury Brewery, Northumberland, in 1911, and the business of T Y Patterson, Craigmillar, Edinburgh, in 1936. James Aitken & Co was dissolved in 1968.

It operated Falkirk Brewery which closed in 1967 and the Mains Maltings, Linlithgow, West Lothian, built in 1875. The brewery chimney was demolished in June 1970. Tiger design for Aitken's beer labels and advertisements was designed by Gordon Downie.

It was acquired in September 1960 by Northern Breweries of Great Britain Ltd, later United Breweries Ltd, which merged with Charrington & Co Ltd in 1962 through a holding company, Charrington United Breweries Ltd.