The Billionaire Empire: 5 Shocking Facts About The Owners Of FIJI Water And Their $13 Billion Fortune

Few brands evoke an image of pristine, exotic luxury quite like FIJI Water, with its iconic square bottle and promise of "Natural Artesian Water" sourced from a remote aquifer. But the story behind this billion-dollar brand is far more complex and controversial than its serene marketing suggests. As of December 2025, the owner of FIJI Water is the American conglomerate, The Wonderful Company, a massive, privately held empire controlled by the billionaire power couple, Stewart and Lynda Resnick.

This article dives deep into the Resnicks' profile, the vast extent of their 'Wonderful' empire, the brand's surprising founding history, and the very recent, high-profile controversies—including lawsuits and recalls in 2023, 2024, and 2025—that are challenging the pristine image of the world's most famous bottled water. The full picture of FIJI Water's ownership reveals a fascinating mix of agricultural might, aggressive marketing, and ongoing legal battles.

The Wonderful Owners: Stewart and Lynda Resnick Biography

Stewart and Lynda Resnick are two of California's most influential and wealthiest figures, having built a multi-billion dollar empire primarily through agriculture and branding. Their control over The Wonderful Company places them at the center of the global food and beverage market.

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• Names: Stewart Resnick and Lynda Resnick (née Harris)
• Current Ownership: Co-Chairmen and Owners of The Wonderful Company (formerly Roll Global)
• Acquisition of FIJI Water: 2004
• Combined Net Worth: Estimated to be between $8 billion and $13 billion, stemming from their vast agricultural holdings and consumer brands.
• Primary Business Focus: Agriculture, branding, and marketing. They own over 185,000 acres of farmland in California's Central Valley.
• Philanthropy: The couple is known for significant philanthropic contributions, totaling over $2.5 billion, with major donations to institutions like Caltech (where the Resnick Sustainability Institute is located) and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
• Stewart Resnick's Background: Started his career in the service industry and later acquired a floral wire service, Teleflora, which became a foundational piece of their empire.
• Lynda Resnick's Background: A renowned marketing and branding executive who is credited with developing the successful, high-impact marketing campaigns for many of The Wonderful Company's brands, including FIJI Water and POM Wonderful.

The Wonderful Company: An Empire Built on Premium Branding

FIJI Water is just one jewel in the crown of The Wonderful Company, a massive conglomerate that specializes in taking commodity agricultural products and transforming them into premium, branded consumer goods. The company employs over 10,000 people globally and has annual revenues in the billions.

The Resnicks’ strategy is simple yet highly effective: control the entire supply chain, from the farm (or in FIJI Water's case, the aquifer) to the shelf, and invest heavily in memorable, high-impact marketing. The sheer scale of their operations gives them immense topical authority over several major food and beverage categories.

Key Brands Under The Wonderful Company Portfolio (Entities)

The Wonderful Company's portfolio is a powerhouse of recognizable consumer brands, many of which dominate their respective markets.

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• FIJI Water: Premium bottled water.
• Wonderful Pistachios: The leading brand of pistachios in North America.
• Wonderful Halos: The highly popular brand of mandarins (tangerines).
• POM Wonderful: Pomegranate juice and fresh pomegranates.
• Wonderful Seedless Lemons: A new, high-value product in the lemon category.
• Teleflora: A large flower delivery service.
• JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery: A luxury wine producer based in Paso Robles, California.
• Suterra: A leading biopesticide company.
• Wonderful Nurseries: One of the largest grape and almond rootstock nurseries in North America.

The Surprising History: From Canadian Founder to Billionaire Acquisition

The story of FIJI Water did not begin with the Resnicks, but with a Canadian entrepreneur named David Gilmour.

The Vision of David Gilmour

FIJI Water was founded in 1996 by David Gilmour, a Canadian businessman and investor who had a history of launching successful ventures, including the South Pacific hotel chain Southern Pacific Hotels.

• Founding Year: 1996 (or 1997, depending on the source).
• Inspiration: Gilmour reportedly researched local aquifers and invested millions to start drilling and bottling the water from an artesian aquifer deep underground on the island of Viti Levu.
• Early Strategy: The initial strategy was to market the water as a premium, untouched product, leveraging the exotic and remote location of its source in the Fiji Islands.

The Resnick Acquisition and Global Expansion

The transition of ownership marked the brand’s shift from a successful startup to a global powerhouse. Stewart and Lynda Resnick acquired the company in 2004 (some sources say 2005) through their holding company, then known as Roll Global.

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Under the Resnicks' ownership and Lynda Resnick's marketing genius, FIJI Water’s distribution exploded. They cemented its status as a luxury, high-end product, often seen in celebrity hands and high-profile events. The brand became a masterclass in aspirational marketing, turning bottled water into a status symbol. The Resnicks' vast capital and existing distribution networks were instrumental in this rapid global expansion.

Recent Controversies and Legal Battles (2023–2025)

Despite the image of purity, The Wonderful Company and FIJI Water have faced significant scrutiny and legal challenges in the last two years, raising questions about the brand's core claims and operational practices. This is crucial for anyone seeking the most current information about the company.

1. The Microplastics Lawsuits (2024–2025)

In a major challenge to the brand's "Natural Artesian Water" claim, multiple class-action lawsuits were filed against The Wonderful Company in 2024 and early 2025.

• The Allegation: Lawsuits filed by consumers and organizations like the Plastic Pollution Coalition allege that FIJI Water contains microplastics, despite the company's marketing that suggests a pristine, untouched product.
• Deceptive Advertising: The core of the legal challenge is that the advertising is deceptive, misleading consumers who are willing to pay a premium for a product they believe to be free of contaminants.

2. The Manganese and Bacteria Recall (Late 2023)

In a separate, high-profile incident in late 2023, The Wonderful Company issued a recall for specific production dates of FIJI Water.

• The Issue: The recall was due to the presence of manganese and bacteria in the affected bottles.
• Impact: While the company stated the recall was voluntary and limited to specific production runs, the news quickly spread, temporarily damaging the brand's reputation for purity.

3. Environmental and Tax Scrutiny

The company has long faced criticism over its environmental impact, particularly the carbon footprint of shipping water from the remote island of Fiji across the globe. Additionally, the company has been involved in public disputes with the Fijian government over water extraction taxes, highlighting the complex relationship between the massive American corporation and the small island nation that provides its source. These controversies continue to fuel public debate over the ethics of the bottled water industry.