Adidas, Gap, Starbucks and Walmart Lauded by Fast Company

Every year, Fast Company evaluates organizations across the global in dozens of industries to produce an annual guide to the most dynamic companies today. “The result is a definitive look at the products, strategies and ideas that are shaping the future,” the publication said in its introduction to its World’s Top 50 Most Innovative Companies roster for 2026.

Below are the quartet of retail or retail-related companies that made list, along with a condensed summary of why they did so. (Note: They are listed below in alphabetical order, followed by their rankings.)

Adidas (#7): The brand has become culturally relevant again, thanks to partnerships with Oasis, Bad Bunny and high-fashion designers like Grace Wales Bonner. As a result, Adidas “is tapping into its heritage—then transcending it,” FC writes.

Gap (#32) The once-stagnant San Francisco apparel retailer began its turnaround “by closing unprofitable stores, streamlining inventory and reinvesting in quality,” FC notes. “The fix wasn’t flashy, but it paved the way for what came next: putting Gap back into the cultural conversation.” That process involved such steps as hiring girl group Katseye for a danceable denim campaign and launching GapStudio, a high-end label designed by Zac Posen.

Starbucks (#18): The ambitious “Back to Starbucks” effort launched by CEO Brian Niccol when he joined the company in late 2024 is starting to pay off. “Starbucks is refreshing more than a thousand stores, replacing cold, easy-to-clean surfaces with wood finishes, plants and plenty of color. Niccol has also pledged to add more than 100,000 seats back to cafés by the end of 2026 and is encouraging customers to linger with free refills.”

Walmart (#9): The world’s largest retailer used a variety of proactive strategies to insulate its shoppers from the ongoing trade wars of 2025; its prices crept up only 5.3% last year, while Amazon’s rose 12.8%. In addition, Walmart has made wide use of AI and has also been stocking shelves with new items “that strike the right balance between covetable and affordable,” FC reports.

Click here for the full roster of 50 innovators. (Note: that article is behind a pay wall.)