The Three Siblings' Pudding Incident was a food safety and social controversy that took place in Taiwan between January 8 and 13, 2016.
The incident triggered widespread public reaction and discussion. By the time the controversy subsided, over 500 related posts had been made on the popular online forum . Additionally, the incident garnered more than 100,000 comments on the official Facebook fan page of the pudding shop.
Background.
The "Three Siblings Egg Pudding" became well-known in Taiwan through earlier media reports. The three siblings from Kaohsiung—eldest sister Tsai Yi-Wen, second brother Tsai Ya-Che, and youngest brother Tsai Ya-Lun—lost their mother to cancer in February 2012. Their father was working in mainland China, and they were living with their grandmother Hsieh Yu-Chih. Due to the grandmother having no income, and the cancellation of the low-income subsidy previously received when their mother was alive, the siblings learned how to make pudding from relatives and relied on pudding sales to cover their living and educational expenses.
In 2012, they launched a Facebook fan page called "Three Siblings Egg Pudding," which was renamed to "Three Siblings Dessert Shop" on March 19, 2013. Their main product was pudding, with additional offerings such as Cheese, handmade cookies, and drip coffee bags. From 2012 to 2015, they were frequently featured in media reports. The inspirational nature of their story, once publicized online and through media, led to enthusiastic support and orders from well-meaning netizens.
Origin.
The controversy began on January 1, 2016, when a professor from Chung Yuan Christian University placed an order for 25 boxes of pudding from the Three Siblings Dessert Shop, requesting that the products arrive by January 7 for his students. The shop confirmed timely delivery. The professor followed up again on January 4, but the pudding was not shipped until noon on January 7 and only arrived on January 8. Since the delivery did not meet the agreed date and thus could not be used for the intended occasion, the professor requested a refund.
Initially, the shop agreed to the refund. However, on January 8, the grandmother called the professor, criticizing him for being narrow-minded and heartless, and later that day posted on Facebook:"There's a Professor Chen from Chung Yuan University. We were a day late delivering the pudding. We messaged him to apologize, but he wouldn't accept it. We shipped 25 boxes, and he returned them all, saying a professor should have more tolerance. What's the use of being so highly educated?"At first glance, the post made it seem that the siblings were being unfairly treated. However, Professor Chen soon published a post clarifying the situation.
At 8 PM on January 8, Professor Chen posted on , sharing screenshots of the conversation, stating that he had confirmed delivery deadlines before placing the order. He summarized the situation in a timeline:
He further explained that since the pudding only arrived on January 8, he requested a refund, and was unexpectedly scolded by the siblings' grandmother:"It's just one day late, why do you have to return it? You're so petty. I'll post about this online. If you don't have the heart, don't order from us."This led to a wave of online criticism against the Three Siblings. That same evening at 10 PM, the shop posted their first apology on Facebook, attempting to explain their side of the story. However, it backfired. As the night went on, more allegations emerged—suggesting the family was not as poor as portrayed, along with accusations of bullying, extortion at school, and food safety concerns. This intensified public backlash against the siblings.
Incident details.
Suspicions of Affluence Contradicting Public Image.
Between January 8 and 9, internet users discovered that the siblings and their grandmother wore designer clothing and accessories. Their birthday gifts included luxury wallets and gold jewelry, and they had dined at high-end restaurants. These revelations contradicted their public image of poverty (e.g., social media posts requesting donated blankets, repeated claims of hardship in the media).Accusations arose that they were exploiting public sympathy. The siblings and their grandmother responded by stating the fine meals were gifts and the expensive items were donated by supporters online.However, users quickly found inconsistencies between the grandmother's claims and older Facebook and Instagram posts made by the siblings.
Conflicting Accounts About the Father.
There were also conflicting claims regarding the siblings' father, who was previously reported to be missing due to debt. It was later revealed that he had already returned. The siblings stated that this had been acknowledged in past interviews and was not concealed, while the grandmother claimed that the man was not their father. The inconsistency drew further skepticism from the public.
Second Apology.
At 1 AM on January 10, the siblings posted a second apology on their fan page. The post, reportedly made from Tainan, admitted mishandling the situation and expressed regret to the professor. They again denied any abuse of public sympathy, hoping to calm public anger. However, this second statement was also found to contain inconsistencies.
Background in Entertainment.
Later that same morning, internet users uncovered that the family had a background in the entertainment industry. The father had previously run a film company, and the eldest sister had been a child actress, casting further doubt on the family's previously claimed financial struggles.
Subsequent developments.
Grandmother's Attempted Suicide by Charcoal Burning.
On January 10, the grandmother of the three siblings attempted suicide by charcoal burning due to the overwhelming pressure of Public opinion. This incident sparked a heated debate. One side argued that the siblings were still young and should not be harshly condemned or pushed to the brink, while the other contended that both the siblings and their grandmother had refused to admit fault and apologize. According to a report by Apple Daily, a reporter "just happened" to call the grandmother for an interview during the suicide attempt, during which she reportedly stated that she was attempting suicide. Additionally, photos taken by the reporter showed that the charcoal had not yet burned to the point of producing white ash and that an electric fan was running in the room, leading netizens to question whether the entire scene was staged to garner sympathy.
Third Apology Statement and Facebook Page Closure.
On January 12, the Three Siblings Pudding team posted a message on their fan page, apologizing to the professor who had initiated the original dispute. They also announced that after fulfilling the current orders, the fan page would be closed the following afternoon. However, the post was later deleted. On January 13, a spokesperson known as "Uncle" declared that the fan page would remain active, stating that closing it would be a disservice to their supporters.
Professor's Statement of Forgiveness.
On January 13, the professor issued a post expressing forgiveness. He stated that although the focus of the controversy had shifted away from the original dispute over the pudding order, many netizens still blamed him for initiating the issue by requesting a return and refund. Wanting closure, he accepted the siblings' apology—even a short one—but noted that the grandmother had promised a refund on January 11, which had yet to happen. He emphasized that everyone makes mistakes, but learning from them is crucial. Quoting the film The Truman Show, he concluded: "The truth shall set you free."
Health Bureau Inspection of the Three Siblings' Pudding.
Following the outbreak of the Three Siblings' Pudding controversy, a member of the public filed a complaint with the Kaohsiung City Health Bureau, claiming they felt unwell after consuming the product and requesting an investigation into its hygiene practices. In response, the Health Bureau conducted an inspection on the 11th, collecting samples for testing. It was found that the pudding was made in a typical home kitchen. Preliminary findings indicated that the ingredients and production process simply involved "mixing pudding powder with water," thus posing no major health concerns.
Tax Bureau to Launch Investigation.
In light of the controversy, the Three Siblings' Pudding operation also came under suspicion of Tax noncompliance. The Kaohsiung National Taxation Bureau admitted that they had received over 40 complaints within just a few days. They stated that they would investigate whether the business held a valid profit-seeking enterprise registration certificate. The bureau also plans to review financial records and remittance data to determine whether the family failed to report corporate or business taxes.
"Black Friday" Remarks.
On May 16, 2016, the original Facebook page "Two Brothers' Dessert Stand" was shut down. It was later rebranded as "Three Siblings Dessert Stand." A later sales post published on a Friday prompted online ridicule, with some dubbing it "Black Friday Pudding Sale."
Entangled in Debt and Criminal Allegations.
In November 2024, 24-year-old Allen Tsai (Tsai Ya-lun) became involved in multiple legal issues, including working as a money mule for a fraud ring and failing to repay loans. In January 2023, he and other group members withdrew more than NT$350,000 in stolen funds across locations in Pingtung and Kaohsiung. In February of this year, the Kaohsiung District Court sentenced him to one year and one month in prison for fraud. Upon appeal, the sentence was reduced to ten months. Meanwhile, the Pingtung District Court sentenced him to 10 to 11 months in prison for six additional fraud cases, which are still under trial.
The pudding stall operated by the Three Siblings abruptly closed on October 20, 2024, without clearing out its contents. Local residents reported that in recent months, individuals dressed in black had visited the stall looking for the siblings. Due to their failure to repay a NT$590,000 loan, a finance company applied for compulsory enforcement, which has been approved by the court.