Brazilian businessman João Jacob Vontobel, founder of Vonpar and a prominent figure in the country’s food and beverage industry, has died at the age of 97. His death was reported on Saturday, September 19, 2026, in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, bringing an end to a business career that spanned nearly eight decades.

Born in Ijuí, Rio Grande do Sul, on March 14, 1929, Vontobel began his entrepreneurial journey in 1948. Over the following decades, he became closely associated with the expansion of the beverage industry in southern Brazil and helped build Vonpar into a major regional business.

A Long Career in the Beverage Industry

A significant chapter in Vontobel’s career involved Coca-Cola. He became a Coca-Cola franchisee in 1963, while the company’s relationship with the beverage giant developed into a major bottling and distribution operation in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina.

Vonpar later expanded its interests beyond soft drinks, including involvement with beer brands such as Kaiser and Heineken. The business also developed interests in the food industry, creating a diversified family enterprise.

In 2016, the beverage operation was sold to Mexico-based Coca-Cola FEMSA in a transaction valued at approximately R$3.5 billion. The Vontobel family subsequently remained involved in food businesses, including brands such as Neugebauer, Mu-Mu and Wallerius.

Cause of Death Has Not Been Disclosed

Reports from Brazilian media confirm Vontobel’s death at 97, but his family has not publicly disclosed the cause of death. As a result, no specific illness or medical condition can be identified as the cause of his passing.

His death came just weeks after Forbes Brazil identified him as one of the country’s oldest billionaires. The 2026 Forbes list estimated his fortune at approximately R$3 billion and placed him among Brazil’s oldest billionaire entrepreneurs.

Remembering João Jacob Vontobel

Vontobel’s influence extended beyond corporate business. He was associated with social initiatives in Porto Alegre, including the Prato Popular community restaurant, which was established to provide affordable meals to people in vulnerable circumstances.

His contribution to the industrial development of Rio Grande do Sul was also recognized by the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, which published a note of mourning following his death.

Vontobel also leaves behind his wife, Elone Maria Schneider Vontobel, whom he was married to for 68 years, along with three children and six grandchildren.

Funeral Arrangements

According to Brazilian media reports, a public farewell ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, September 22, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Memorial Angelus in Porto Alegre. A private cremation ceremony for family members is expected to follow.

João Jacob Vontobel leaves behind a business legacy that stretches from his beginnings in Ijuí in the late 1940s to the development of one of southern Brazil’s major beverage operations. His work in the Coca-Cola bottling industry, later involvement in food and beer businesses, and social initiatives in Porto Alegre made him a notable figure in the economic history of Rio Grande do Sul.

His passing marks the end of a remarkable entrepreneurial era and leaves behind a family business legacy that continues to have a presence in Brazil’s food industry.