State of New Hampshire Quietly Helped Chinese Bottling Giant Secure Nashua Facility, Records Show

NASHUA, NH — Newly obtained records show that New Hampshire officials actively recruited Chinese beverage giant Nongfu Spring before the company purchased a 338,000-square-foot facility in Nashua, guiding executives through permitting, utility negotiations, and regulatory hurdles with little public notice.

The never-before-seen documents trace a year-long effort that began with direct outreach to Nongfu’s billionaire chairman Zhong Shanshan and culminated with Nongfu’s acquisition of 80 Northwest Boulevard in early 2025. Nongfu, one of China’s largest bottled water and tea companies, is owned by one of the country’s wealthiest men and was ushered into New Hampshire as part of a state-led economic development push.

In September 2024, state economic development officials wrote directly to Zhong following his tour of New Hampshire earlier that year. The letter pitched Nashua as a prime site, highlighting “lowest taxes in the Northeast, tax credits, talent attraction services, and rail access”.

Ten days later, an internal email confirmed that Zhong had not yet replied but officials were pressing forward with outreach.

By mid-November, Nongfu executives had arrived in New Hampshire. State-arranged tours brought them to Liberty Utilities’ gas division along with city departments covering sewer, fire, and traffic.

The visiting team included senior leaders from China: Advisor Hermann Liu, CFO Katherine Wu, Engineering Head Yuan Liao, Production Head Jigang Zhong, and Engineering Manager Steve Jiang.

State notes from the visit show the company “knows the city permit time frames and what they have to do in order to begin production in May”.

Meanwhile, Nongfu’s engineers pressed Pennichuck and Nashua Wastewater for technical details on water chemistry and wastewater discharges, even asking whether reverse osmosis reject water could be released into storm drains.

Pennichuck confirmed its system could meet Nongfu’s initial demand but warned that expansion would require a new $2.5 million pump and 1,500 feet of water main, with completion projected for 2026.

By January 2025, the Nashua property was sold to Nongfu. Two months later, records confirm a plant manager was hired and sent to China for training.

In April 2025, Nongfu’s U.S. advisor suggested using the Nashua project as a marketing tool in China, comparing it to how the film Finding Mr. Right boosted Seattle’s visibility with Chinese investors.

By June 2025, state officials listed “Nongfu Water Nashua – 338K sq. ft.” among their economic development successes alongside companies like New Balance and Albany International.

The documents reveal Nongfu projected annual water usage of 840 million gallons, placing it among the state’s heaviest industrial consumers. The company sought preferential water rates and was informed that expensive infrastructure upgrades would be required.

Officials also facilitated Nongfu’s discussions with Liberty Utilities for new gas boilers and traffic consultants for required impact studies. Throughout the correspondence, the project was described as “confidential,” with repeated reminders that Nongfu was owned by the “second wealthiest person in China” and that Nashua would host the company’s first U.S. plant.

Security analysts warn that large-scale acquisitions by Chinese firms can present risks, especially when they involve water resources and other critical infrastructure. Nongfu, while publicly traded, operates in industries closely monitored by Beijing, raising questions about oversight.