When it comes to identifying strong small business branding, where do you look? Design awards? Agency portfolios?
Our team opted for a different approach: asking the customers themselves. We set out to answer a simple question: “Which small businesses across America have the best branding?”
We surveyed over 3,000 consumers across all 50 states, to discover which independent businesses truly stand out for their branding. But we didn’t just stop at the logo. We asked consumers about the full visual and emotional identity: packaging, website, social media, shopfront, tone of voice, and more.
The result is a state-by-state snapshot of how small businesses are making a big impact through great design.
While the national Top 10 got much of the attention, the full list – covering 140+ standout businesses – reveals much deeper insights into regional aesthetics, consumer behavior, and what it really takes to win trust and attention in a crowded market.
Kentucky small businesses punch far above their weight
Louisville alone landed two spots in the national top five – Bourbon Barrel Foods (#1) and Please & Thank You (#5). When you include Appalshop from Whitesburg, the state is clearly showing how to fuse local heritage with sharp visual identity.
Kentucky isn’t typically viewed as a design capital, but our survey suggests it’s quietly leading in brand storytelling.
Hawaii is branding gold
Not only did Big Island Coffee Roasters take third nationally, but Hawaii also placed Aloha Collection and Mānoa Chocolate in the top 15.
That’s three high-ranking businesses out of just a handful of urban centers, suggesting that the state’s unique culture and aesthetics are becoming sought-after branding assets.
Coffee is king
Across the entire list, coffee roasters dominate. From La Colombe in Philly to Onyx Coffee Lab in Arkansas and Publik Coffee in Utah, consumers gravitate toward beautifully branded caffeine. It’s so much more than the beans. It’s also about the experience, the ritual, and increasingly, the packaging.
Cities with a strong maker/DIY ethos performed best.
Places like Portland, Seattle, and Santa Fe had multiple entries – not surprising, given their established reputations for artisan goods and creative communities. These cities consistently produce brands that feel handmade, thoughtful, and distinct.
Visual storytelling matters more than just the product
Some of the most highly ranked brands aren’t selling flashy products – they’re selling lifestyle.
Why I Love Where I Live (Arizona) and Lost Appalachia Trading Co. (West Virginia) are perfect examples of how clever design can elevate simple merchandise into community-driven storytelling.
Food and drink still drive emotional branding
Ice cream, chocolate, barbecue, and baked goods are heavily represented in the rankings. There’s something about indulgence that pairs beautifully with design.
The Salty Donut, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, and Soulbelly BBQ show how food businesses are leveraging branding to become cultural icons, not just eateries.
States with strong regional pride often translate that into branding
Brands like Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit (South Carolina), El Guapo Bitters (Louisiana), and George Howell Coffee (Massachusetts) reflect a kind of confident localism.
And these businesses don’t dilute who they are to appeal nationally; they double down on where they’re from.
New England over-indexes on legacy-meets-modern
Brands from Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire often had a clean, natural aesthetic that felt both rooted and forward-thinking.
Think Smith Teamaker, Popzup Popcorn, and Barr Hill Spirits. The region is carving out a strong “quietly premium” design language.
New Jersey and Illinois were surprising dark horses
Bang Cookies and Lost Girls Vintage both landed in the national top 10, with multiple other entries from their states throughout the rankings.
These aren’t typically design-forward brand capitals, but they have an edge when it comes to memorable visual identity.
If you’re an independent business, what takeaways can you glean from these standout nationwide examples?
Our survey proves that great branding isn’t just for Silicon Valley startups or legacy global brands. Independent businesses from every corner of the country are using smart design, consistent visuals, and clear storytelling to connect with customers, and it’s working.
From the neon-drenched streets of Miami to the misty forests of Oregon, great branding is no longer a bonus – it’s the business card, the personality, and the promise all wrapped into one.
And as this ranking shows, it doesn’t matter whether you’re selling soap, spirits, or stationery – if your look is sharp and your identity is strong, people notice.
Methodology
Online panel survey of 3,013 respondents based on age, gender, and geography. Internal data sources are used to obtain population data sets. We used a two-step process to ensure representativeness through stratified sampling and post-stratification weighting.
Respondents are carefully chosen from a geographically representative online panel of double opt-in members. This selection is further tailored to meet the precise criteria required for each unique survey. Throughout the survey, we design questions to carefully screen and authenticate respondents, guaranteeing the alignment of the survey with the ideal participants.
To ensure the integrity of our data collection, we employ an array of data quality methods. Alongside conventional measures like digital fingerprinting, bot checks, geo-verification, and speeding detection, etc. each response undergoes a thorough review by a dedicated team member to ensure quality and contextual accuracy. Our commitment extends to open-ended responses, subjecting them to scrutiny for gibberish answers and plagiarism detection.
