China's beverage giant Wahaha to rebrand its drinks as 'Wa Xiao Zong': media report

(ECNS) -- Chinese beverage giant Wahaha is preparing to abandon its storied brand for a new name "Wa Xiao Zong" amid escalating shareholder and family disputes, media reported on Wednesday.

A notice circulating on the internet this month stated that in order to ensure the compliant use of the "Wahaha" brand, the group has decided to replace it with the new brand "Wa Xiao Zong" starting from the 2026 sales year, Chinese media outlet Cixin Global reported.

The decision was made because "complex historical issues" cannot be effectively resolved in the near term, exposing the company's operations to legal risks, and under the current ownership structure, the use of the "Wahaha" trademark requires unanimous consent from all shareholders, the notice explained.

Currently, Wahaha has not responded to the rebranding notice yet.

In February last year, Wahaha's founder Zong Qinghou passed away, followed by an inheritance battle over the estate of the beverage giant Wahaha, which has captured the attention of the public.

Zong Fuli, the present chairwoman and CEO of Wahaha, was sued in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region over the inheritance dispute in July.

(By Zhang Dongfang)