Late Beverage Tycoon’s Secret Children Go to War With Official Heir Over Billions
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Zong Qinghou (right) and daughter Zong Fuli
More than a year after his death in February 2024, Zong Qinghou, the late founder of beverage giant Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co. Ltd., was caught in a postmortem multibillion-dollar inheritance battle.
Three individuals, previously unknown to the public, have claimed that Zong, once China’s richest man, was their father and filed inheritance lawsuits on the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong against their alleged half-sister, Zong Fuli, the only publicly known child of Zong and the heiress of the beverage empire.
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- After Zong Qinghou's death in February 2024, three alleged children filed inheritance lawsuits against his daughter Zong Fuli, Wahaha's heiress, involving assets worth over $3 billion.
- The disputes include attempts to freeze $1.8 billion in a HSBC account and secure $2.1 billion in alleged trusts, with internal company and shareholder conflicts adding complexity.
- Wahaha's state-owned stakeholder, holding 46%, is considering selling its stake, while experts warn unresolved disputes could seriously harm the company.
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Who’s Who
- Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co. Ltd.
- Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co. Ltd. is a Chinese beverage giant founded by the late Zong Qinghou. It produces bottled water, dairy products, and soft drinks. The company is currently embroiled in a multibillion-dollar inheritance battle following Zong Qinghou's death, with his publicly known daughter, Zong Fuli, and three previously unknown individuals claiming to be his children, all vying for control and inheritance.
- HSBC
- HSBC is mentioned in the article as the bank holding an account with approximately $1.8 billion related to Zong Qinghou's inheritance battle. The account, held by Zong Fuli, is the target of a lawsuit filed in Hong Kong by three individuals claiming to be Zong Qinghou's children, who aim to freeze the funds.
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What Happened When
- Start of 2024：
- A HSBC bank account containing approximately $1.8 billion was identified as part of the inheritance assets.
- February 2024：
- Zong Qinghou, founder of Wahaha, died.
- After February 2024：
- A multibillion-dollar inheritance battle emerged following Zong Qinghou's death.
- After February 2024：
- Zong Fuli took control of Wahaha after her father’s death.
- July 2024：
- Zong Fuli resigned as vice chair and general manager of Wahaha.
- Days after July 2024：
- Zong Fuli reinstated herself in management at Wahaha.
- By late August 2024：
- Zong Fuli officially became Wahaha’s legal representative and chairwoman.
- December 2024：
- Jacky Zong, Jessie Jieli Zong, and Jerry Jisheng Zong filed a lawsuit in Hong Kong against Zong Fuli.
- July 2025：
- Media reports surfaced about the inheritance lawsuit and dispute, attracting public attention.
- July 2025：
- A source revealed that Wahaha veteran Du Jianying is the mother of two of the inheritance plaintiffs (Jacky and Jessie Zong).
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