According to the Morning Consult report called Fastest Growing Brands 2026 brand growth was “rare” in 2026 amongst the 2,801 brands eligible for its analysis.
The findings come against a backdrop of economic pessimism and falling consumer sentiment, which have created a challenging environment in which many brands struggled to maintain consumer consideration.
The research, which focused on purchasing considerations of consumers, found that just 14% of brands saw a growth - a five-year low in its tracking. It covered major brands from Uber, Coca-Cola, Nike, Gap and Domino’s.
The fastest growing brand of 2026 is a relaunched 50-year-old soda: Mr. Pibb.
Coca-Cola retired the Pibb Xtra name after 24 years and put Mr. Pibb back on shelves with a new formula. It has 30% more caffeine and a slogan declaring it to have a “bold kick of cherry.” Its purchase consideration doubled right behind a bump in awareness, the report said.
Mr. Pibb was also the No. 1 trust gainer in its 2026 Most Trusted Brands report.
The brand topped nine of its twelve audience rankings, from boomers to TikTok users. It was also top growing brand with Millennials, Gen X, Baby Boomers, men, women, those with income under $50k and parents.
The report also said that ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails passed hard seltzer, tequila, vodka and beer to become the most-considered alcohol category among Gen Z.
It revealed that RTD cocktail brand Cutwater delivered one of the biggest moves in this year’s report, although it did not make it to the top 25. Its consideration among Gen Z adults jumped 15.5 points, from 12% to 27%.
For three years, the average RTD cocktail brand ranked near the bottom of the alcohol categories it tracked with Gen Z, below vodka, tequila, seltzers and beer. Then, in early 2026, RTD consideration roughly doubled, passing hard seltzers first and then everything else.
As of this summer, the average canned cocktail brand is more considered by Gen Z adults than the average brand of vodka, tequila, beer or wine.
7Brew, a drive-thru coffee chain, which was described as the “least-known brand” in the top 25 saw its rise among young, female and budget-conscious.
The company, which started out in Arkansas, saw its awareness jump from 33% to 43% in a single year, and consideration climbed from 12% to 16%.
The company has seen growth in its footprint since 2022 when it had 38 stands compared to more than 700 across 38 states currently.
The brand ranking data from Morning Consult Intelligence, surveys consumers on thousands of brands daily among representative samples of US adults. Purchasing consideration reflects the share of consumers who say they are considering purchasing from a brand.
