Zhong Shanshan has a net worth of more than US$62 billion, making him the wealthiest person in the food and beverage industry. Shanshan is founder and chairman of Nongfu Spring, a bottled water company that listed its shares in Hong Kong in September 2020.
Hangzhou-born Zhong dropped out of elementary school during China’s Cultural Revolution. He later had jobs as a construction worker, a newspaper reporter and a beverage sales agent before starting his own business. Zhong is 68 years old and also controls Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy, which makes rapid diagnostic tests for infectious diseases including Covid-19.
Giovanni Ferrero follows in second place with $39.3 billion, while 30-year-old Red Bull heir Mark Mateschitz ranks third with $38.8 billion, and John Mars comes in fourth with $36.6 billion.
The fifth and sixth spots on the list are occupied by Jacqueline Mars (net worth $36.6 billion), and Lactalis CEO Emmanuel Besnier (net worth $23.3 billion).
Chairman of China’s Muyuan Foodstuff, Qin Yinglin, made his fortune as a pig breeder and is placed 7th with a net worth of $15.9 billion.
Jorge Paulo Lemann ($14.8 billion) is a controlling shareholder of the world’s largest brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev and occupies the 8th position among the wealthiest people in the food and beverage industry, followed by Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken (No. 9) with $13.4 billion and Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi (No. 10, $12.4 billion).
Richest billionaires in the food and beverage industry 2023
Zhong Shanshan: $62.3 billion
Giovanni Ferrero; $39.3 billion
Mark Mateschitz: $38.8 billion
John Mars: $36.6 billion
Jacqueline Mars: $36.6 billion
Emmanuel Besnier: $23.3 billion
Qin Yinglin: $15.9 billion
Jorge Paulo Lemann & family: $14.8 billion
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken & family: $13.4 billion
Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi: $12.4 billion
Ravi Jaipuria: $11.8 billion
Trudy Cathy White: $10.7 billion
Bubba Cathy: $10.7 billion
Dan Cathy: $10.7 billion
Marcel Herrmann Telles: $10.0 billion
Anthony von Mandl: $10.0 billion
Liu Hanyuan: $9.8 billion
Finn Rausing: $9.2billion
John Rausing: $9.2 billion
KirstenRausing: $9.2 billion
Sources: CEO World Magazine
Forbes
Wikipedia
