5 Popular Foreign Businesses in the US

The US is a country that celebrates diversity and has multicultural communities in different cities. In fact, many popular products and services that have headquarters in the US are owned by foreign business owners and companies.

To celebrate the diversity of foreign businesses and their successes, here is a list of five user-favorite foreign companies in the US.

Budweiser

Budweiser is one of the most popular beers across the country. On their website, the company owes its success to the American-style beer’s “smoothness and drinkability.” Indeed, the drink is also popular for its memorable advertisements — especially around the US Super Bowl.

However, this “American-style” beer is actually owned by a Belgian company called Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev). The company’s US regional headquarters is in St. Louis. Other popular AB InBev brands include Corona, Stella Artois, and Labatt.

Samsung

Samsung is known to be the biggest competitor against the brand Apple and has some of the best smartphones in the world. Not only that, but they are a leading company in electronics and kitchen appliances too.

The South Korean company has become popular globally, and, in 2019, it became the world’s second-largest technology company by profit, with its market capitalization standing at $301.65 billion. These numbers make Samsung the 18th largest company worldwide.

Sony

Sony is a Japanese company that is headquartered in Tokyo. It is currently the biggest music entertainment business in the world, as well as being the largest gaming console business and the second-largest video game publishing company. Not only that, but it has one of the biggest manufacturing businesses for electronics. In 2018, Sony was ranked 97th in the Fortune Global 500 list.

This month, Sony is known to be one of Japan’s largest corporations by market capitalization and revenue. It currently has a market value of over $90 billion. It is the most cash-rich Japanese company, with a net cash reserve of ¥1.8 trillion ($17.1 billion).

Kit Kat

One of the nation’s favorite chocolate brands, Kit Kat, actually originated from the UK. It was actually created 84 years ago, and the previous owner of the company — up until 1988 — was Rowntree. In the US, Kit Kat is manufactured and owned under the Hershey company. In the rest of the world, it is manufactured under Nestle.

The well-known phrase “have a break, have a Kit Kat” has been around since 1957. In Japan, there is a confectionary store dedicated to Kit Kat only, with eccentric candy flavors such as sweet potato and matcha.

American Apparel

American Apparel was founded by a Canadian businessman named Dov Charney in 1989. It became one of the largest North American retailers and manufacturers across the country, and its headquarters is currently in Los Angeles.

In mid-2017, the company morphed into an online-only retailer, and its brand continues to market its clothes as “ethically made and sweatshop-free.” Despite its name, most of American Apparel’s clothing comes from factories in Central America.

How to Start a Business as a Foreigner

For a foreigner who wishes to start a business in the US, the process is long but straightforward. You first need to decide on the structure of your business — whether you want a C corporation, a limited liability company (LLC), or an S corporation. Each structure has its unique benefits. For example, choosing a C corporation will give your company unlimited stock, and tends to be a more favorable structure for investors.

Taxes will depend on which state you choose to start your business in. After choosing, you can seek additional assistance on how to apply for the licenses that you need. Generally speaking, you will need an Employment Identification Number (EIN) to be recognized by the government as an official business.

The best thing to do is to speak to a legal team in your resident country. You should also check out the tax laws in both the US and your resident country to find out if starting a business in the US is the right move for you.

Adriaan Brits

As an analyst of global affairs, Adriaan has an MSC from Oxford, with diverse interests in the digital economy, entertainment, and business. He is a specialist trainer in Advanced Analytics & Media.

Read more from Adriaan Brits