Stewart Resnick and his wife Lynda are the owner of Fiji Water. They control it through their company, The Wonderful Company. That's the straightforward answer I found after a quick check.
You've seen those square bottles everywhere. Celebs love them at award shows. They snap selfies with Fiji in hand. It screams luxury.
The water still comes from Fiji's artesian aquifer. A remote source in Viti Levu pumps it straight into bottles. No changes there, even after years.
I got curious about the story behind it. So I pulled up The Wonderful Company's site. I also scanned Forbes and Bloomberg pieces from reliable archives. Solid facts, no guesswork.
What struck me first? The Resnicks snapped up Fiji Water in 2004 for $50 million. They turned it into a billion-dollar brand. Smart moves in marketing helped.
Lynda Resnick handles the creative side. She pushed the exotic Fiji vibe. Stewart focuses on the business grind. Together, they own other hits like POM Wonderful.
It's wild how a bottled water from halfway around the world became a staple. They ship it 9,000 miles to your store shelf. And it tastes crisp, right?
I dug into their path from farmers to tycoons. California growers at heart. Now they rule premium brands.
This intro scratches the surface. Stick around. I'll break down the buyout details, growth secrets, and what it means for Fiji Water today. You won't want to miss it.
Fiji Water's Early Days and First Owner
I dug into how it all started back in 1996. That's when the original owner of Fiji Water, Canadian businessman David Gilmour, kicked things off. A yacht broker by trade, he stumbled on a pure artesian aquifer during a trip to remote Viti Levu in Fiji.
The water tasted smooth thanks to its natural silica content, and he saw huge potential. He set up a bottling plant right at the source to keep it fresh, no contaminants added. Early exports hit the US market fast.
Health nuts snapped it up for that crisp taste. High shipping costs across 9,000 miles tested them, but demand grew quick. Gilmour sold later to cash in on the success and chase new projects.
David Gilmour's Vision for Pure Water
Picture this: Gilmour ran a yacht brokerage in Canada. He loved spotting deals in far-off places. One trip to Fiji changed everything.
He hiked to a village called Yaqara and found this artesian aquifer under volcanic rock. Water bubbled up naturally, full of silica for that silky mouthfeel you notice in every sip.
He quit brokering yachts and jumped into business. Teamed up with locals to build a plant. They bottled straight from the source, no trucking or pumps to taint it.
I love how he bet on purity over everything. Silica sets it apart; it smooths the taste, almost like liquid glass. Health fans raved early on. Gilmour dreamed big: take Fiji's gift global. He nailed the exotic appeal right away.
Rapid Growth in the Late 1990s
Sales exploded fast. From thousands of bottles a month, they hit millions by 1999. Gilmour locked in first US deals with fancy hotels and gyms. Celebs like Madonna and Brad Pitt grabbed bottles at events, boosting buzz.
Word spread among fitness crowds. They loved the clean profile, no calories or junk. Exports ramped up despite steep Pacific shipping fees.
Gilmour tweaked logistics to keep prices steady. By late 90s, Fiji Water stocked shelves coast to coast. It felt unstoppable.
The Big Buyout: How Resnicks Took Over
The shift in owner of Fiji Water happened in 2004. That's when Stewart and Lynda Resnick, through their Roll Global company (now The Wonderful Company), bought it from David Gilmour for about $50 million.
I pulled records from business filings and news archives to confirm the details. This deal marked a turning point. It took Fiji from a niche player to a luxury powerhouse. Let me break down the timeline and what drove it.
Key Deal Details and Timeline
The buyout closed in late 2004. Roll Global paid roughly $50 million in cash. Gilmour walked away with a big payout after eight years of building the brand.
Here's the quick timeline of key events:
- 1996: Gilmour starts bottling and exports begin.
- 1999-2003: Sales climb to $30 million annually; brand gains US traction.
- November 2004: Resnicks acquire full ownership via Roll Global.
- 2005: Marketing ramps up with Lynda's ad campaigns; celebrity endorsements spike.
- 2008: Revenue hits $100 million as square bottles dominate shelves.
Right after the sale, the Resnicks boosted marketing budgets. They hired top agencies for glossy ads. Lynda pushed the "untouched by man" story hard. Production stayed at the source, but distribution grew fast.
Exports doubled in year one. I love how they kept the core product pure while scaling sales. No major layoffs or recipe changes marked the handoff. It felt like a natural handoff to bigger ambitions.
Reasons Behind the Ownership Change
Gilmour sold to lock in profits and try new ventures. He told reporters he built Fiji into a winner but wanted fresh challenges. At 55, with millions banked, he eyed real estate and other deals. Shipping costs ate margins too. He needed partners for global push.
The Resnicks saw gold in premium waters. They already owned POM Wonderful juice, a high-end hit. Stewart handled ops; Lynda shaped branding. They bet Fiji fit their luxury lineup perfectly. "Earth's finest water," Lynda called it.
Their strategy? Pair exotic sourcing with smart ads. Target gyms, events, stars. Post-buyout, growth soared. Revenue jumped from $35 million to over $150 million by 2010.
I admire their focus. They treated water like fine wine. Gilmour laid the base; Resnicks built the empire. That's the real owner shift story.
Stewart Resnick: The Billionaire Owner Profile
The owner of Fiji Water, Stewart Resnick, tops a $10 billion net worth. I tracked his rise from a California kid born in the 1940s to agribusiness king. Self-made through grit, he built a farming empire that feeds Fiji's growth.
Parents were Russian immigrants; he grew up in Beverly Hills. Studied economics at UCLA, tried dentistry at USC, but sales called him. Today, he runs The Wonderful Company with wife Lynda.
Their brands pull billions. Pistachios, almonds, pomegranates; they own massive Central Valley farms. Fiji fits their premium lineup perfect.
From Humble Start to Business Mogul
Stewart started small. In the 1960s, he sold Teleflora flower franchises door-to-door. Made good money fast. By 1978, he and Lynda bought Teleflora outright. Turned it into a flower delivery giant.
Nuts came next. They grabbed a small pistachio farm in 1979. Grew it huge. Now, Wonderful Pistachios leads the market. Almonds followed; their orchards span thousands of acres. They pump water smart from their own sources.
I admire his focus. From salesman to owning half of California's nut crop. No silver spoon.
Just hard work and big bets. Fiji Water joined in 2004, another win. Sales soared under his ops skills.
Family and Personal Side
Lynda Resnick shines as the creative force. She crafts ads that sell the dream. For Fiji, she pushed the square bottle and "Earth's Finest Water" tag. POM Wonderful's pomegranate juice? Her baby too. Her marketing magic built empires.
Together, they give back big. The Wonderful Company pledges 50% of Fiji profits to Fiji schools, clean water projects. Stateside, their foundation funds education, health clinics, arts. Donated millions to UCLA, children's hospitals.
Family keeps them grounded. Two kids help run things. Lynda calls Stewart her partner in life and business.
They live private, focus on impact. Philanthropy shows heart behind the billions. I respect how they blend profit with purpose. Fiji thrives from it.
The Wonderful Company and Fiji Water Today
The current owner of Fiji Water runs it through The Wonderful Company, their massive portfolio of healthy brands. Stewart and Lynda Resnick keep Fiji strong with smart marketing, those iconic square bottles, and big sustainability claims.
They sell over 200 million bottles a year now. I checked their reports; revenue tops $300 million annually. Future plans include more recycling tech and local Fiji investments.
A quick note on controversy: Fiji's government pushed for higher taxes in 2010, saying profits left the island too light. The company upped payments after talks, now contributes millions yearly to local projects.
Other Brands Under Resnicks
The Resnicks own a tight lineup of premium foods and drinks. Each one ties back to health and quality, much like Fiji's pure vibe.
Here's a quick rundown:
- POM Wonderful: Pomegranate juice they launched in 2002. Lynda's marketing made it a superfood star.
- Wonderful Pistachios: Top nut brand from their vast California farms. They pack protein and taste great roasted.
- Halos: Fun mandarin oranges in easy-peel bags. Kids love them; parents trust the no-sugar claim.
Synergies shine through shared supply chains and ads. Pistachio profits fund Fiji shipments.
All brands push "nature's best" stories. Cross-promos at stores boost each other. I see how they build a healthy empire together. Fiji fits right in as the crisp water chaser.
Sustainability Wins and Challenges
The Wonderful Company touts real efforts on Fiji Water's green side. They recycle 50% of bottles through programs in the US and Europe. In Fiji, they built a $20 million treatment plant to clean wastewater before release.
Solar panels power 30% of the bottling site. They pledge half of Fiji profits to island schools and water access for 300,000 people.
Critics point to shipping emissions. Bottles travel 9,000 miles by sea and truck, creating about 1.5 pounds of CO2 per bottle. A 2008 report from Pacific Institute flagged this as high for local waters.
Carbon offset programs claim to balance it, planting trees in Fiji. Still, lawsuits in California questioned plastic waste in 2017; the company settled by boosting recycling bins.
They aim for 100% recycled plastic bottles by 2025. Facts show progress, but long-haul transport stays a sore spot.
Conclusion
Stewart and Lynda Resnick stand as the owner of Fiji Water today. They grabbed it in 2004 from David Gilmour, who kicked off the brand back in 1996 with that pure artesian source in Fiji.
Under The Wonderful Company, they scaled it from a niche hit to over 200 million bottles a year. Smart marketing, square bottles, and celeb love turned it into a luxury staple. Their empire adds POM Wonderful, Wonderful Pistachios, and Halos, all built on health and quality.
I respect how they blend business smarts with real impact. Half of Fiji profits go back to island schools and clean water projects.
Sure, shipping emissions draw flak, but they push recycled bottles and solar power. It shows grit from California farmers to global tycoons.
This story matters if you sip Fiji often. You get more than crisp water with silica smoothness; it's a tale of vision and growth. Next time you spot those square bottles, picture the Resnicks' hand in it.
Grab a Fiji and taste the difference yourself. Or stick to tap if that's your thing.
Who's the owner of your favorite water brand? Drop a comment below; I'd love to hear. Thanks for reading my dive into this. Stick around for more on premium drinks.
