Notarized Will Secures Wahaha Heiress’s Succession Amid Family Dispute
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A notarized will established by the late billionaire founder of Wahaha Group shortly before his death was the key to his daughter inheriting a major stake in the Chinese beverage giant, insulating her control of the company from a wider family feud.
The document, an inheritance certificate from a notary office in Hangzhou, reveals the legal maneuver that secured Zong Fuli’s claim to her father’s 29.4% stake in Wahaha. The move came even as a bitter dispute unfolds in a Hong Kong court over $1.8 billion of her father’s fortune involving several alleged half-siblings.
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- Zong Qinghou’s notarized will enabled his daughter, Zong Fuli, to inherit his 29.4% stake in Wahaha Group, amid a family dispute over $1.8 billion.
- Corporate records updated in August 2024 confirm Zong Fuli as the company’s legal representative; the largest shareholder remains a state-owned firm with 46%.
- The inheritance process was legally validated, with all heirs and his widow confirming the will as authentic under China’s Civil Code.
- Wahaha Group
- Wahaha Group is a renowned Chinese beverage maker. Following the death of its founder, Zong Qinghou, in February of the previous year, his daughter, Zong Fuli, officially took control. Corporate records updated in August 2024 confirm her inheritance of her father's 29.4% stake, making her the new legal representative. This succession was secured by a notarized will established by her father shortly before his passing.
- Hangzhou Wahaha Group
- Hangzhou Wahaha Group is one of China's most renowned beverage makers, founded by the late billionaire Zong Qinghou. Following his death, his daughter, Zong Fuli, inherited his 29.4% stake, securing her control and becoming the company's legal representative.
- Hangzhou Shangcheng Investment Holding Group Co. Ltd.
- Hangzhou Shangcheng Investment Holding Group Co. Ltd. is a state-owned investment firm and holds the largest stake (46%) in Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co. Ltd., a major Chinese beverage maker.
- 2024：
- Zong Qinghou created a notarized will.
- February 2024：
- Zong Qinghou, founder of Hangzhou Wahaha Group, died.
- March 1, 2024：
- Zong Fuli applied for a notarized certificate of inheritance.
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