You don’t have to be one of the world’s largest companies to make an outsized impact. That’s been proven time and again by midsize companies worldwide, and is especially evident for the Brands That Matter 2022 honorees in our Midsize category, which recognizes companies with 100 to 999 employees.
Some companies grew organically as tastes changed. In today’s food culture, launching a vegan restaurant chain may not seem too daunting. But 15 years ago, Veggie Grill fought an uphill battle to promote plant-based foods. Now, it’s a leader in that space.
Other brands reacted to even very timely causes with creative models to support both employees and their greater audience. Bospar, a tech public relations team, paid for the relocation of its Texas staff members after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Icon, a 3D printing construction company, responded in Nacajuca, Mexico, and other places that desperately needed new structures and homes.
These brands tackled pressing issues through innovative technology, ambitious sustainability goals, and successful business models.
Veggie Grill
When Veggie Grill opened its doors in 2007, its goal was to drive a shift toward plant-based foods well before veganism enjoyed more widespread cultural acceptance. The result: a brand offering diversified, plant-based food for more conscious consumers. In 2021, the company estimates that it saved 95,149,692 gallons of water and 180,693 animals from slaughter, among other successes. Veggie Grill also expanded its footprint and added two new vegan restaurant brands this year: Stand-Up Burgers and Más Veggies Taqueria. Meanwhile, Veggie Grill raised tens of thousands of dollars for charities, minimized food waste, and reported that BIPOC employees occupied 90% of company jobs.
Icon
After making its debut at SXSW in 2018, Icon has established itself as the forerunner in 3D printing construction technology. This was achieved through its vertically-integrated system of robotics, software, and advanced materials. Icon reported printing over two dozen homes and structures to date, and the brand’s notable projects include simulating a Martian habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and printing a community of homes in Nacajuca, Mexico (those homes later withstood a magnitude of 7.4 earthquake). Over the last year, Icon introduced the next-generation Vulcan construction system, which now allows them to print homes and structures up to 3,000 square feet.
Bospar Stands Up
Bospar is a tech public relations team, but in 2021, it took an active role as an ally for reproductive rights and gay rights. In a year that brought the overturning of Roe v. Wade and Florida’s Parental Rights in Education legislation, that team at Bospar said they could not stay silent. Enter: Bospar Stands Up, social justice initiatives from the company that included paying for the relocation of Texas staff members who wanted to move after the state’s abortion ban and a grant for educators fighting the Parental Rights in Education legislation, among other efforts. Bospar created a new model for brands supporting reproductive rights, and actively supported the causes that aligned with its ethos.
This article is part of Fast Company’s 2022 Brands That Matter awards. Explore the full list of brands whose success has come from embodying their purpose in a way that resonates with their customers.
Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.
