Thailand's Coconut Water Giant IFBH Soars In Hong Kong IPO Debut
IFBH, the Thai company behind China's largest coconut water brand IF, saw its shares jump 42% in its Hong Kong stock market debut Monday, boasting a market cap of $1.3 billion.
IFBH ended its first day trading at HK$39.5, up from its HK$27.8 per share set for the initial public offering. The company, a subsidiary of Bangkok-based General Beverage, raised HK$1.16 billion ($145 million) from the sale of 41.7 million shares at the top end of a marketed range of HK$25.3 to HK$27.8.
The stock surge gave Pongsakorn Pongsak, IFBH's founder, CEO and largest shareholder, a net worth of $807 million, propelling the 45-year-old into the ranks of Thailand's wealthiest people. Forbes estimates Pongsakorn's wealth based on his 60% stake in IFBH, which he holds directly and through General Beverage. Pongsakorn holds a 91% stake in General Beverage, which in turn owns 60% in IFBH.
IFBH's IPO has attracted a roster of big-name cornerstone investors, including Black Dragon, an investment fund backed by Soopakij Chearavanont, the chairman of Thai agriculture-to-telecoms conglomerate Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group and the eldest son of billionaire Dhanin Chearavanont; HongShan's HCEP Management; Jain Global, the U.S. hedge fund founded by former Millennium co-chief investment officer Bobby Jain; U.S. trading giant Jane Street; and UBS Asset Management. The company's pre-IPO investors include Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek.
IFBH said it will use the IPO proceeds to bolster fulfillment capabilities, strengthen its presence in mainland China and expand operations in Australia, the Americas and Southeast Asia. 'Over the years, we have grown into one of the leading ready-to-drink natural coconut water brands in Asia,' Pongsakorn said at the listing ceremony in Hong Kong on Monday. 'Looking ahead, we are excited to continue investing in innovation, strengthening our sourcing capabilities and growing our brand sustainability.'
Pongsakorn Pongsak (right), founder and CEO of IFBH, attends the company's listing ceremony at Hong Kong's stock exchange on June 30, 2025. Shanshan Kao/Forbes Asia
IFBH is best known for its IF-branded bottled coconut water—a clear and slightly sweet beverage derived from coconuts that some people believe is good for health. The company posted $362 million in retail sales value in China last year, making it the country's largest coconut water producer, according to its prospectus, which cited China Insights Industry Consultancy. With a global retail sales value of $374 million in 2024, IFBH said it's also the world's second-largest coconut water company after New York-based Vita Coco.
The company generated more than 92% of its revenue from mainland China in 2024, with 4.6% from Hong Kong and the rest from places including Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Kuwait, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and the U.S. Its sales surged 80% year-on-year to $157.6 million in 2024, while net profit nearly doubled to $33.3 million during the same period. IFBH attributed the growth to the increased sales volume in mainland China.
Despite its business scale, IFBH has a lean team of 46 staff, thanks to its 'asset-light' business model. IFBH outsources its manufacturing and distribution to parent General Beverage and other third parties, freeing the company to focus on marketing and R&D.
Pongsakorn founded General Beverage in 2011 and launched the IF-branded coconut water two years later. He started selling the beverage in Hong Kong in 2015, followed by mainland China in 2017. Pongsakorn has continued to innovate over the years, launching plant-based snacks such as coconut crispy rolls, as well as products that cater to local preferences, like coconut black tea in China. In late 2022, he formed IFBH to run General Beverage's operations outside of Thailand.
IFBH's listing comes amid Hong Kong's IPO market revival. The city is on track to reclaim its crown as the world's top listing venue in 2025 following a five-year dry spell, driven by renewed investor interest for Chinese tech stocks following the rise of AI startup DeepSeek and U.S.-China tensions that are prompting more Chinese companies to pivot toward Hong Kong listings.
Since the beginning of 2025 through June 26, there were 41 listings in Hong Kong raising a total of more than HK$104 billion, according to data from the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing. Among the companies going public in the city includes gold jeweler Zhou Liu Fu Jewellery, whose shares soared nearly 70% over the first two trading days on Friday, catapulting its chairman into billionaire status. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes Chairman Of Chinese Gold Jeweler Zhou Liu Fu Becomes A Billionaire After Stock Surge By Zinnia Lee Forbes Billionaire Brothers' Chinese Bubble Tea Giant Mixue Surges In Hong Kong Debut By Zinnia Lee Forbes Ex-Baidu AI Scientist Becomes A Billionaire After Shares Of His Self-Driving Tech Startup Jump 16% By Zinnia Lee
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