A drink that gives wings to your spirits and energy to the body is also the world’s most-sold drink, Red Bull. The history of the drink goes back to 1987 when it was first launched by the company Red Bull GmbH in Austria and has sold over 100 billion cans since its inception, according to Bloomberg reports. The family who co-owns this billion-dollar business now is the Yoovidhya family. Chalerm Yoovidhya heads and co-owns Red Bull and it sold 11.6 billion cans worldwide in 2022, as per a Forbes report. Here’s a look into the family, their lifestyle and wealth:
How Red Bull was created
The original Krating Daeng, which was introduced by the chemist Chaleo Yoovidhya and originated in Thailand, served as the inspiration for Red Bull. Dietrich Mateschitz stated that a can of Krating Daeng that he bought while conducting business in Thailand helped him overcome jet lag. In an effort to collaborate with Yoovidhya, Mateschitz developed a product that would appeal to Westerners’ tastes, such as by adding carbonation to the beverage. The two established Red Bull GmbH Salzburg, Austria, in 1984.
To finance the business, each partner contributed $500,000 from their savings, as per Forbes. Mateschitz and Yoovidhya both owned 49% of the new business. The remaining two percent was given to Chalerm, Yoovidhya’s son, although Mateschitz was to operate the business. On April 1, 1987, the product was initially introduced in Austria.
The firm also owns a number of teams in association football and racing. The most well-known of these is Red Bull Racing, a Formula 1 team that has taken home the Constructors’ Championship five times and the Drivers’ Championship six times, including the two victories Max Verstappen currently holds. The firm also owns a number of teams in association football and racing. The most well-known of these is Red Bull Racing, a Formula 1 team that has taken home the Constructors’ Championship five times and the Drivers’ Championship six times, including the two victories Max Verstappen currently holds.
Chalerm Yoovidhya and family
Chalerm Yoovidhya is the patriarch of a large clan that shares ownership of Red Bull, the well-known energy drink that had 11.6 billion cans sold globally in 2022. The eldest son of late Red Bull co-founder Chaleo, Chalerm, individually owns a small portion of the family ownership in the company. Red Bull Thailand won a trademark dispute with Red Bull in China in December 2020 after a protracted legal battle.
Chalerm Yoovidhya and family have a net worth of $33.4 billion at present making them one of the 50 richest families in Thailand.