Yonghe Soy Milk Founder Lin Ping-sheng Dies at 70
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago4 MIN
Summary
Lin Ping-sheng (林炳生), founder of Yonghe Soy Milk and chairman of Yonghe Capital Group, died in Taipei at 12:45 pm on Friday after medical treatment failed. He was 70 years old and was widely known in the industry by the nickname “Brother Dou,” or “Bean Brother.” The group said he spent decades building the business and helped take Taiwan’s traditional breakfast culture into the mainland Chinese market. Under his leadership, the company also expanded into healthcare, equity investment, industrial mergers and acquisitions, and overseas SPAC listing business.
Key Points
- Yonghe Capital Group’s board issued an obituary on Saturday, saying Lin died peacefully in Taipei at 12:45 pm on Friday after unsuccessful treatment for illness.
- Lin was the founding force behind Yonghe Soy Milk and was credited with introducing Taiwan-style traditional breakfast culture into the mainland market.
- The obituary said industry peers and others called him “Brother Dou,” praising his generosity and describing him as a beacon who inspired others.
- Under Lin’s leadership, the group expanded beyond food into healthcare, equity investment, industrial acquisitions and overseas SPAC-related listing operations.
- Yonghe Soy Milk entered the mainland market in 1995 with its first Shanghai outlet, and had nearly 500 stores there by 2023.
Why It Matters
Lin’s death marks the passing of a founder associated with one of the best-known cross-strait food brands, one that turned a Taiwanese breakfast concept into a large mainland chain. For Hong Kong readers, it is also a reminder of how traditional food brands can evolve into broader investment-led business groups while retaining strong consumer recognition.