Tim Hortons - Canada
Ask any Canadian where they go for a cup of coffee or a doughnut. Odds are, you won’t hear them say Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts or Krispy Kreme. When it comes to coffee, doughnuts, soup and sandwiches, Tim Hortons has a grip on Canada that’s almost as tight as that of hockey. Tim Hortons has captured 62% of the market for coffee, compared to runner-up Starbucks with just 7%. Even McDonald’s has only half the outlets compared to Tim Hortons. What’s going on in the great white north? The chain is now expanding in the eastern US, so maybe the secret is about to spill.

Grupo Bimbo - Mexico
Established in 1945, Grupo Bimbo is one of the largest food producers worldwide. Its trademark brand icon, a white teddy bear in chef’s hat, is widely known among Mexicans. The company specialises in bread, though it does own other brands in Latin America. Bimbo has ambitious plans: recent purchases in China and the United States assure that this once national brand will develop an international presence, particularly as Mexicans moving north take their brand preferences with them.

Beeline - Russia
Making a straight shot for the top, Beeline is the brand trademark of VimpelCom, a Russian telecoms operator. It is the top telecoms company in Russia and an early convert in that country to the need for good branding. In 1996, it became the first Russian company to list on the New York Stock Exchange, and it frequently wins awards for good corporate governance. Its brand is already valued higher than such long time stalwarts as Kodak, but its activities are limited to the former Soviet Union. So far...

ASUS - Taiwan
It was only a matter of time before the computer manufacturers in Taiwan – many of whom supply brand names like Apple and Dell with inexpensive but dependable hardware – would finally make a name for themselves. So it is with ASUS, a motherboard manufacturer that made the big time by solving computing problems for Intel. ASUS provides computer-crazy Taiwanese with everything from PDAs to notebooks to stylish cell phones. In Taiwan, ASUS ranks number two in brand value and is followed by fellow computer maker Acer. Ironic considering that ASUS started as the brainchild of four ex-Acer computer engineers. As one of the world’s top four notebook producers and enjoying high brand valuation in Taiwan, expect to hear more from ASUS on the information highway.

Natura - Brazil
Brazilians have a passion for looking good. Natura, a skin care and cosmetics company, is ranked third in terms of brand value (the top two brands are the nation’s two leading banks). Natura has become a household name in Brazil for its nature-oriented appeal to consumers – an appeal likened to that of The Body Shop. Natura began 2007 by announcing that its expansion plans were to begin in that pickiest of fashion markets: France. The first Natura store in Paris is said to be doing well, and distribution plans for the rest of the country are underway. Watch out for products to appeal to your inner Amazonian soon.