Who Owns Fiji Water?

Fiji Water is a bottled water brand based in Los Angeles, California. The brand was launched in 1996 by David Gilmour to collect, bottle, and ship water from Fiji. Its water comes from an artesian aquifer in Viti Levu.

In May 2024, Fiji Water employees based in Fiji went on strike over a pay rise. The strike disrupted operations at the brand’s Yaqara water bottling plant and Naikabula depot in Lautoka on the Viti Levu Island. [1]

Fiji Water is America’s #1 imported premium bottled water. The company has invested over FJ$300 million in upgrades to streamline its value-added operations in Fiji. In Feb 2024, Fiji Water launched the Yaqara facility’s $140 million expansion project, including two state-of-the-art high-speed production lines.

The investment will increase output capacity by 47% and energy efficiency by 10%. The Yaqara expansion was commissioned by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. [2]

Fiji Water is an eco-conscious business. The brand is famous for its iconic square bottle, soft mouthfeel, and double the electrolytes in bottled water from its top two rivals. Consumers can buy Fiji Water in 330 ml, 500 ml, 700 ml, 1 liter, or 1.5 liters.

In Dec 2023, the company transitioned its 500-ml and 330-ml bottles to 100% recycled plastic. This move will help Fiji Water reduce plastic waste and replace nearly 70% of its bottle volume worldwide with recycled material. The company plans to transition its entire bottle portfolio to recycle plastic by 2025. [3]

Fiji Water distributes its bottled water to over 60 countries globally. The company launched the FIJI Water Foundation to support communities in Fiji. In Dec 2023, the FIJI Water Foundation highlighted the positive impact of its 2023 Wonderful Giving program.

The brand’s Fiji-based employees achieved a 100% participation rate and donated over $250,000 to the initiative. The funds were distributed to 56 nonprofit organizations in Fiji to strengthen neighborhoods and support communities. But who owns Fiji Water? [4]

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Who is Fiji Water’s Parent Company?

The Wonderful Company, a private corporation founded in 1979 and based in Los Angeles, California is the owner of Fiji Water. The Wonderful Company is a holding firm and investment vehicle of US billionaires Stewart and Lynda Resnick.

In May 2024, the parent company was named in one of Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For at #91. It was also recognized on the LA Business Journal’s 2023 Best Places to Work list. [5]

The Wonderful Company is a $6 billion global agriculture corporation with over 10,000 employees. It owns iconic healthy brands, including Fiji Water, POM Wonderful, Wonderful Pistachios, Halos, Seedless Lemons, JUSTIN, Teleflora, and Landmark Wines.

The company’s billionaire owners, the Resnicks, are California’s wealthiest farming family. In May 2024, the Resnicks proposed an expansion plan to double the size of their industrial warehousing in Kern County. The family seeks to capitalize on the seismic shift to online shopping by converting 1,800 acres of their almond groves into warehousing space. [6]

The Wonderful Company is dedicated to harvesting health and happiness worldwide. The company and its founders have invested over $2.5 billion in education, health, community development, CSR, and sustainability initiatives globally, from California’s Central Valley to Fiji.

In Oct 2023, Wonderful was recognized on Fast Company’s Brands That Matter list in the Family of Brands category. [7]

Wonderful was founded by philanthropists committed to creating a better world. Its brands support the communities where its employees live and work to promote equal access to education, healthcare, and affordable housing.

In Jul 2023, the parent company opened its $1 million Wonderful Community Grants application process. This initiative has awarded over $6 million in grants to over 77 nonprofits and 165 schools in the San Joaquin Valley. [8]

Image Credit: Noppadon Manadee

Fiji Water Ownership History

David Gilmour launched Fiji Water in 1997. The water source is on the northern coast of Viti Levu Island, where nature has refined the rugged volcanic terrain into the perfect filtering system. First, rainwater gathers natural minerals as it filters through volcanic rocks.

Then, the water collects in an artesian aquifer below the Earth’s surface. The minerals give Fiji Water its soft, smooth taste. In 1997, the company built the first Fiji Water plant at the foot of a mountain range in Viti Levu. The site allows the brand to bottle water at the source, minimizing contamination. [9]

Fiji Water got consumers’ attention soon after its launch. The brand differentiated itself from competitors by using a square bottle with a 3-D label that creates the perception of visiting the Fiji Islands.

In 2004, Stewart and Lynda Resnick acquired Fiji Water from David Gilmour. The US billionaires integrated Fiji Water into their Wonderful Company. The brand thrived under the Resnicks but also faced challenges.

In 2006, an analysis by Cleveland Water Authority found that per liter Fiji bottle contains 6.31 micrograms of arsenic. This finding eroded the brand’s credibility as the Earth’s finest water bottled at the source. [10]

Fiji Water focused on philanthropic activities as part of the Wonderful Company. The parent company launched the FIJI Water Foundation in 2007 to support communities at the water source. This charitable trust is funded and supported by the brand’s owners, employees, and corporate affiliates.

Fiji Water unveiled the Carbon Negative campaign in 2007 to offset its greenhouse gas emissions by planting trees and reducing plastic waste. In 2023, the company transitioned its best-selling bottles to 100% recycled plastic. [11]

Image Credit: Jonathan Chng

Fiji Water’s Shareholder Structure

Fiji Water is a wholly owned brand of the Wonderful Company, founded by US billionaires Stewart and Lynda Resnick. The Resnick family owns Wonderful and its brands, including Fiji Water.

Stewart Resnick is the Chairman, and Lynda Resnick is the Vice Chairman of Wonderful. Both are co-owners, with a 50% stake each. In Apr 2023, the company launched its CSR website, highlighting the co-founders’ philanthropic approach to place-based giving. [12]

Fiji Water’s shareholder structure has two investors, Stewart and Lynda Resnick. Stewart bought his first farmland in California in 1978. This investment grew into a multi-billion-dollar business empire.

Nearly half of all Americans purchase one of Resnicks’ products, including pistachios, almonds, oranges, and Fiji Water. As of May 2024, Stewart Resnick was worth $5.6 billion. He is #529 on Forbes’ Billionaires list and #192 on Forbes 400. Stewart and Lynda Resnick share a fortune worth $10.6 billion as a couple. [13]

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