Meet the small brands punching way above their weight class

Nguyen Coffee Supply and Sawyer have proved that size has no bearing on the impact a brand can have.

It’s hard to succeed in business—harder still with a workforce of less than 100 people. But the two honorees in the 2023 Brands That Matter Small Business category—Nguyen Coffee Supply and Sawyer—have managed to achieve scale and make impacts that far outstrip the size of their respective workforces.

At Nguyen Coffee Supply, the brand’s canned Vietnamese coffee has gotten nationwide Whole Foods distribution and built demand for robusta coffee. And Sawyer has taken its expertise in water filtration to help bring clean water to entire countries.

Read more about their efforts, written by David Salazar here.

DÈNYE MIZAJOU

February 7, 2025

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Media Mentions from Fast Company

Creative | Progressive | Innovative

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Medya Mansyone

A favorite of ultralight hikers, backpackers, bikers, and travelers, the Sawyer Squeeze filter is the gold standard in water filters for anyone concerned about weight and universal compatibility.

Scott Gilbertson
Senior Writer and Reviewer

Medya Mansyone

In the morning before getting to the park, I applied insect repellent (Picaridin lotion by Sawyer).

Julie, Earth Trekkers
Author and Photographer

Medya Mansyone

A Sawyer Squeeze water filtration system that blows any other system out of the — say it with me — water.

Rachel Dunkel
Freeland Writer