WILLBO
Orange County is home to many big-name businesses in an array of industries—tech, surf and sportswear brands, automotive, world-class health care, and more. And quite a few lesser-known operations are blazing their own trails. This is by no means a complete list of the enterprises that make Orange County thrive, but here, we give a shout out to a few that stand out to us. compiled by ORANGE COAST STAFF
KURA SUSHI INC.
June 2026 | ORANGE COAST 49
12 O.C. ENTERPRISES YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT Some are big. Others are small. Some
are new. Others have been around for years. But all are disrupting the status quo in their industries with their innovation and vision.
Huupe smart basketball hoop developer 18081 Redondo Circle Huntington Beach 17875 Von Karman Ave. Irvine Company tagline: “World’s first smart basketball hoop” About: “Elevate your game with Huupe Mini—the world’s smartest hoop. Play, track stats, and compete with friends on a built-in HD screen for next-level gameplay.” huupe.com
Bonfire Studios video game developer 18600 MacArthur Blvd. Irvine
Company tagline: “We craft games that weave pulse-pounding thrill with the warmth of belonging.” About: “Our goal is to immerse players in an extraordinary and haunting realm. From initial concept art to final in-game elements, we are crafting a compelling aesthetic experience that seamlessly blends with and brings to life the game’s narrative, level design,
combat, and audio.” bonfirestudios.com
50 ORANGE COAST | June 2026
6 BIG BIZ TECH GIANTS
ACORNS investment platform Irvine acorns.com
BROADCOM semiconductor manufacturer Irvine broadcom.com EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES medical technology Irvine edwards.com FUJIFILM BIOSCIENCES biotechnology Santa Ana fujifilmbiosciences.fujifilm.com
MASIMO medical technology Irvine masimo.com WESTERN DIGITAL data storage Irvine westerndigital.com
June 2026 | ORANGE COAST 51
Slowtide art-inspired towels, blankets, and changing ponchos 336 E. 17th St. Costa Mesa Company tagline: “Welcome to the fold.” About: “Slowtide blends thoughtful materials with artist-driven design to create textiles meant for everyday living. Pieces that move easily between the beach, the outdoors, and the home. Slowtide started in 2015 between California and Hawaii. After long days spent in and around the water, founders Wylie Von Tempsky, Kyle Spencer, and Dario Phillips began to feel the towels they were using could be better. The design felt generic. The quality fell short. So, they started making their own. What began as a better towel quickly became something more.” slowtide.co
Kei Concepts restaurant group
17011 Beach Blvd. Huntington Beach
Company tagline: “Kei Concepts’ vision and mission is to connect all generations, old and new, through its concepts by o!ering authentic yet progressive pan-Asian cultural cuisines.” About: “In 2014, we opened our first restaurant, SUP Noodle Bar, not knowing the surprises it had in store for us in the future. Through the support of friends and family, fans and foodies, we have revolutionized Asian food across Southern California with multiple brands spanning across di!erent tastes and cultures. We knew we wanted to go bigger, so we created Kei Concepts. Kei Concepts serve as inventors and purveyors of unique and experiential brands. Our goal is to bring the best-of-the-best brands to your table.” keiconcepts.info
52 ORANGE COAST | June 2026
7 BIG BIZ RESTAURANT & FOOD BRANDS
BJ’S RESTAURANTS Huntington Beach bjsrestaurants.com
CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL Newport Beach chipotle.com
IN-N-OUT Irvine in-n-out.com
MARUCHAN INSTANT RAMEN NOODLES Irvine maruchan.com
TACO BELL Irvine tacobell.com
WAHOO’S FISH TACO Santa Ana wahoos.com
XPERIENCE RESTAURANT GROUP (Acapulco, Chevys Fresh Mex, El Torito, El Torito Grill, Las Brisas, The Rim Scratch Craft Eats, Rio Mambo, Sinigual, Sol Mexican Cocina, Solita Tacos, Who Song & Larry’s) Cypress xperiencerg.com
June 2026 | ORANGE COAST 53
Melin premium hats 100 Avenida La Pata San Clemente
JMP Creative product invention and design 16782 Von Karman Irvine Company tagline: “We are inventors. We arrive at work each day with a single purpose: Invent something extraordinary for our clients and partners!” About: “JMP’s team is a product development powerhouse, having developed concepts resulting in over a billion units of product to reach the marketplace! We’re regarded by toy companies—from the industry’s largest players to smaller outfits across international markets—as one of the top invention resources in the world. And we’ve developed products achieving Toy of the Year status in multiple countries. But our product development abilities don’t end with toys, as we’ve created and provided contributions to numerous industries.” jmpcreative.com Company tagline: “The world’s most comfortable hat. Built to last. Designed for the perfect fit.” About: “Melin’s mission is to build the world’s most premium headwear by combining the highest quality materials, unique details, and problem solving innovation, creating hats that last five times longer, fit every head shape, and enhance comfort across any adventure. For us, a hat isn’t just an accessory that we occasionally throw on as we’re leaving the house. It’s the most critical part of our everyday wardrobe. It’s the first thing someone sees when they look at your face and their first impression of your personal style. It’s the billboard that tells the world who you are, what you value, your passions, where you’re from, and how you live your life.” melin.com
PHOTOGRAPHS BY IRVIN RIVERA
54 ORANGE COAST | June 2026
10 BIG BIZ SURF & SPORTS APPAREL COMPANIES
FOX RACING Irvine foxracing.com HURLEY
Costa Mesa hurley.com OAKLEY Foothill Ranch oakley.com QUIKSILVER Huntington Beach quiksilver.com RAINBOW SANDALS San Clemente rainbowsandals.com RIP CURL San Clemente ripcurl.com RVCA Costa Mesa rvca.com TRAVIS MATTHEW Huntington Beach travismatthew.com VANS Costa Mesa
vans.com VOLCOM
Costa Mesa volcom.com
June 2026 | ORANGE COAST 55
CIE Digital Labs venture studio, innovation lab, business accelerator 19600 Fairchild Road Irvine Company tagline: “ideas.built” About: “We partner with innovative corporate leaders to re-imagine their existing businesses and to sketch out, and build, new business opportunities together. Launching new ventures with visionary entrepreneurs, adventurous corporate partners and our venture studio, we aim to solve real world problems through commercial platforms. Dreamers. Funders. Builders. Accelerators. The common bond across our team is a passion ‘to build incredible businesses that do incredible things’ for our world.” ciedigital.com FightCamp interactive at-home fitness developer 936 W. 17th St. Costa Mesa Company tagline: “Inspire the fighter within.” About: “Originally developed for Olympic teams, our motion technology captures every strike and processes speed, power, and precision to help you train with the accuracy of a pro. The same strength and precision as pro gear, re-engineered for the home to deliver authentic training without compromise.” joinfightcamp.com
56 ORANGE COAST | June 2026
6 BIG BIZ AUTO & AUTO- RELATED BRANDS
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA Fountain Valley hyundaiusa.com
KIA AMERICA Irvine kia.com
MAZDA NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS Irvine mazdausa.com
PENSKE AUTOMOTIVE GROUP Santa Ana penskeautomotive.com
RIVIAN Irvine rivian.com
YOKOHAMA TIRE Santa Ana yokohamatire.com
June 2026 | ORANGE COAST 57
Kura Sushi Inc. international restaurant group 17461 Derian Ave. Irvine Company tagline: “The Kura experience. Revolving sushi bar.” About: “As pioneers of the revolving sushi concept, the Kura family of companies have improved upon the developed innovative systems that combine advanced technology, premium ingredients, and affordable prices to enhance the unique dining experience. Since the first restaurant opening in 1977, Kura Sushi Inc. has grown substantially with more than 550 locations across Japan, Taiwan, and the United States.” kurasushi.com Mobility- Ware game developer, creator of no. 1 solitaire game and solitaire-related games 440 Exchange Irvine Company tagline: “Bringing joy to others one game at a time” About: “We’re champions for the game and strive to be the top player in everything we do. Our endless enthusiasm and dedication for our craft means we take creating fun seriously. Getting to the next level means knowing when to involve creative risk taking. We encourage our teams to be bold and think beyond the playbook when needed to achieve results. Change drives innovation. We embrace it and are prepared to pivot with the agility to act fast, the courage to color outside the lines, and the flexibility to try a new route to find the missing piece of the puzzle.” mobilityware.com
58 ORANGE COAST | June 2026
10 BIG BIZ MORE HOUSEHOLD NAMES
ABBVIE (FORMERLY ALLERGAN) Irvine abbvie.com BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT Irvine
blizzard.com BOOT BARN Irvine bootbarn.com EXPERIAN Costa Mesa experian.com JD POWER Costa Mesa jdpower.com PACIFIC LIFE Newport Beach pacificlife.com SONANCE San Clemente sonance.com TOO FACED Irvine toofaced.com VIZIO Irvine vizio.com VOLUSPA Irvine voluspa.com
June 2026 | ORANGE COAST 59
Willbo lifestyle brand and apparel maker 353 N. Coast Highway Laguna Beach Company tagline: “For life and play under our Western skies” About: “In the sweeping tapestry of our shared American journey, Willbo stands as a heartfelt reminder of the spirit that unites us across wide prairies and golden coastlines. Each stitch weaves together stories of sport and our heritage, reflecting the timeless ideals of craftsmanship and the humble warmth of community. Rooted in the boundless majesty of the West, Willbo illuminates how our past informs our future, inviting every American—young and old—to embrace the comfort, style, and wonder of a life well-lived under our Western skies.” willbousa.com Almond Surfboards surfboard manufacturer 1720 Santa Ana Ave. Costa Mesa Company tagline: “Skilled hands, thoughtful design, and a commitment to timeless craftsmanship. Built to help you catch waves earlier and more often.” About: “Every Almond model is the result of careful study and consistent refinement. We design boards that handle everyday conditions with confidence and hold their value through long-term use. Our shapes are purposeful—balanced, dependable, and built to improve a surfer’s time in the water. We stand behind every model we produce because each one reflects the same standard: Make it functional, make it durable, and make it worth riding for years.” almondsurfboards.com
PHOTOGRAPHS BY IRVIN RIVERA
60 ORANGE COAST | June 2026
8 BIG BIZ HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATIVE & CORPORATE OFFICES
CHOC RADY CHILDREN’S HEALTH Orange choc.org CITY OF HOPE ORANGE COUNTY Irvine cityofhope.org
HOAG Newport Beach hoag.org HRC FERTILITY Newport Beach havingbabies.com
KAISER PERMANENTE Anaheim kaiserpermanente.org
MEMORIALCARE Fountain Valley memorialcare.org
PROVIDENCE Orange providence.org UCI HEALTH Irvine ucihealth.org
June 2026 | ORANGE COAST 61
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