Former sent-down youth and salt-farm laborer who built Wahaha into China's leading beverage company, won a prolonged legal and trademark battle against joint-venture partner Danone in the mid-2000s, a
THE RECORD
Former sent-down youth and salt-farm laborer who built Wahaha into China's leading beverage company, won a prolonged legal and trademark battle against joint-venture partner Danone in the mid-2000s, and served as an NPC delegate from 2002-2018 before dying in February 2024.
SELECTED PUBLIC REFERENCES
2026 · Investor/Pass Founder Ledger
Zong Qinghou — Founder Ledger Overview
Zong Qinghou — founder profiled in the Chinese Founder Ledger — is documented as follows: former sent-down youth and salt-farm laborer who built Wahaha into China's leading beverage company, won a prolonged legal and trademark battle against joint-venture partner Danone in the mid-2000s, and served as an NPC delegate from 2002-2018 before dying in February 2024. The profile is grounded in the 4 sources indexed for this founder.
Zong Qinghou's role is documented as: founder, Chairman and CEO of Hangzhou Wahaha Group until his death Deceased February 25, 2024, aged 78, per Wikipedia's biography; succession subsequently passed to his daughter Zong Fuli (Kelly Zong) (research date: 2026-08-23).
After Danone and Wahaha's 1996 joint venture grew tense, Zong signed then reneged on a December 2006 deal that would have let Danone buy a majority stake in Wahaha's non-joint-venture operations, saying the offer undervalued the business; Danone alleged he wanted a higher price.
The Danone dispute escalated into international arbitration (Stockholm, filed May 9, 2007) and a Los Angeles Superior Court suit against companies controlled by Zong's wife and daughter (filed June 4, 2007), before the two sides agreed on December 21, 2007 to suspend legal action and negotiate.
Following Zong's death on February 25, 2024, his daughter Zong Fuli (Kelly Zong) inherited a 29.4% stake and took over as chairwoman/CEO in 2024, but stepped down in September 2025 amid an escalating dispute over Wahaha brand rights with other shareholders and an inheritance lawsuit from three people claiming to be her half-siblings, who obtained a Hong Kong court freeze on a $1.8 billion HSBC account in August 2025; Xu Simin succeeded her as legal representative, chairwoman, and general manager per corporate filings reported in late November 2025.