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Netflix
While the media and entertainment company is based in California, Netflix is a major part of New Jersey’s rapidly growing film and television production industry. The physical evidence of its prominence is in the Fort Monmouth redevelopment.
In September, the company unveiled renderings of the $1 billion studio project which will span over 290 acres in Oceanport and Eatontown, bringing new life to the former Army base that shuttered in 2011.
The project includes 12 cutting-edge soundstages totaling nearly 500,000 square feet. A groundbreaking was held in May and since then the work has progressed – with demolition expected to last some 13 months. Meanwhile, Netflix continues to move forward through the approval process for construction.
“Today, the film and television industry in New Jersey is stronger than it’s ever been,” said Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, at the May event. “So, we’re taking another huge step here. We’re going to officially begin demolition to pave the way for Netflix Studios Fort Monmouth. Netflix is making a significant infrastructure investment in Fort Monmouth – to transform this into a state-of-the-art production facility.”
New York Red Bulls
With soccer’s World Cup tournament coming to New Jersey next year, the sport’s best-known club in the state is positioned to take advantage of what is likely to be a surge in fan interest. Although the most recent Major League Soccer season ended in disappointment for the Red Bulls, the club is creating business momentum for next year and beyond.
Among the club’s major initiatives is a ticketing partnership with Sports Illustrated, which included a rebranding of Red Bull Arena in Harrison as Sports Illustrated Stadium. The Red Bulls also introduced premium spaces, such as Club SI and the forthcoming Hype House — an open-air social club debuting in 2026. Earlier this year, the stadium hosted its first concerts since 2011, something club executives have been pursuing for some time.
In addition, the team struck a major new agreement with Levy. The hospitality and retail leader will elevate food, beverage and merchandise offerings beginning next season. And work is also underway on a new 80-acre training complex in Morris Township. Slated to open in the first half of 2026, the site will serve as home to all levels of the club’s programs, from the first team to its youth academy. The facilities also could serve as a training site for World Cup competitors.
NFI
Founded in 1932, as National Hauling in Vineland, NFI has grown from a single truck into a leading third-party logistics provider servicing all of North America with its base in Camden.
NFI says it generates more than $3.5 billion in annual revenue and owns and operates more than 71 million square feet of warehouse space. And the company remains one of the economic engines of Camden’s revitalization. The company’s service offerings include dedicated transportation, distribution, brokerage, transportation management, port drayage, intermodal, global logistics and real estate.
Now in its third generation of family leadership, brothers Sidney Brown, CEO; Ike Brown, president – vice chairman; and Jeff Brown; president – vice chairman, lead the company today and its team of more than 18,000 employees. Inspired by their father, Bernard “Bernie” Brown, the current leadership is rooted in family.
The company prides itself on fostering a culture that incorporates all members as part of that group. Looking ahead, NFI continues to diversify its capabilities, including its supply chain, through both organic and acquired growth. Additionally, the Brown brothers have led investments into new technologies, ranging from electric trucks to autonomous robots.
NJM Insurance
Tracing its history to 1913, NJM was originally established to to provide workers’ compensation to New Jersey’s business community. Today, from its 100-acre campus in West Trenton and two other locations in the state, the company offers a wide range of personal and business insurance products – famously promoting its business with No Jingles or Mascots. It operates as a mutual insurer for the benefit of policyholders.
NJM’s personal insurance products are available direct to consumers in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania. The company also partners with independent agents to provide business insurance in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
In July, NJM named Carol Voorhees as its first woman CEO. Voorhees joined the company in 1996 and steadily rose through the ranks. She most recently served as executive vice president and COO, a post she assumed in 2024.
“I am truly honored to lead NJM,” Voorhees said at the time. “After 29 years of service, I understand NJM’s value proposition and what makes us special – providing outstanding service to our policyholders.” She becomes the 10th chief executive officer in NJM’s history, succeeding retiring Mitch Livingston.
Nokia Bell Labs
Few companies can boast a lineage as consequential as Nokia Bell Labs. “Researchers at Nokia Bell Labs have been behind or involved in nearly every critical technological milestone for the last century,” the company notes on its website. “We built the first lasers and transistors, discovered the origins of the universe and connected the world using communications satellites. We also invented implementable technologies like the solar battery and the first hearing aids and made great theoretical leaps forward with the likes of Information Theory.”
Today, the company continues that work in communications technology, and is moving into artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge research. Those efforts take place at the company’s global headquarters in Murray Hill and facilities in seven other countries.
Nokia Bell Labs reaffirmed its commitment to the state late last year when it announced that it would relocate its Murray Hill operations to the HELIX research and development planned in New Brunswick. “I see now the next stage, the next innings starting here,” said Chief Strategy and Technology Officer Nishant Batra at a September groundbreaking for the company’s new digs.
Novo Nordisk
Few companies have broken into the public’s consciousness as thoroughly as Novo Nordisk has over the past couple of years. Its Wegovy weight-loss drug and Ozempic diabetes treatment have become household names.
In November, the company announced an agreement to make the drugs more affordable. Under the plan, the monthly out-of-pocket costs for patients enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare on GLP-1 medications could range from $50 to around $350, depending on dosage and insurance coverage.
Currently, list prices for these drugs are more than $1,000 a month. Individuals whose insurance covers the drugs usually pay much less than the list price. However, many plans do not include them. In return for these commitments, the Trump administration will grant Novo Nordisk a three-year exemption from certain tariffs. Direct-to-consumer pricing is expected to roll out next year to Medicare and Medicaid users, as well as on the planned TrumpRx pharmaceutical website, according to the White House.
“Novo Nordisk has always worked to secure affordable access to our innovative medicines, and today’s announcement will bring semaglutide medicines to more American patients at a lower cost,” company President and CEO Mike Doustdar said in a statement.
Orcosa
Orcosa is clinical-stage life sciences company working to modernize the way people take medicine. Orcosa’s patented RITe (Rapid Infusion Technology) Platform is a fast-acting, orally disintegrating tablet engineered to enhance drug absorption and improve safety profiles. The technology aims to offer more convenient, patient-friendly options and, in pain management, a potential alternative to opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
The technology produces an easy-to-take pill that rapidly infuses an active ingredient through the tissue in the cheek – enabling therapeutic effects quickly and efficiently. The medication dissolves in seconds, without swallowing, avoiding the problems that can plague human and animal patients with certain conditions. If the product becomes widely used, pet owners will no longer have to hide pills in peanut butter or cheese to get their furry friends to take their medications.
The company has received positive test results from its Oravexx pain treatment. The non-addictive proprietary cannabidiol compound is currently being studied in clinical trials.
Bryan Ridall is the co-founder and CEO of Orcosa. Under his leadership, the company has advanced its lead program in pain management into clinical development and is building a pipeline of medicines across pain, neurology and pediatric indications.
Panasonic
Based in Newark, Panasonic Corp. of North America is a leading technology partner, working with businesses, government agencies and consumers throughout the region. Here, the business is led by Chairwoman and CEO Mega Myungwon Lee. She oversees the company’s growth strategy as well as guides the ongoing business evolution.
In addition to its leading consumer tech role, Panasonic also provides electric batteries, new technologies as well as smart mobility, sustainable energy and integrated supply chain solutions. Among the businesses operating here are Panasonic Audio-Video, Panasonic Avionics, Panasonic Eco Systems, Panasonic Energy Corp., Panasonic Industrial Devices, Panasonic Logistics Solutions and more. According to the company, it works with the goal of fulfilling founder Knosuke Matsushita’s vision to make today better than yesterday and tomorrow better than today.
With 30,000 employees here, Panasonic operates 17 locations across North America. This spring, it earned its fourth-consecutive certification as a Great Place to Work. According to the findings, Panasonic employees reported feeling physically safe while working (96%), that the company makes you feel welcome when you join (90%), and that people across all backgrounds and identities are treated fairly.
Paris Baguette
Paris Baguette is hungry for growth and making good on efforts to expand its U.S. presence. With its domestic base in Moonachie, the bakery cafe brand was founded 40 years ago in South Korea. Now it boasts more than 4,000 locations worldwide, including nearly 260 sites in North America. By 2030, executives aim to hit 1,000 U.S. shops and 100 in Canada.
Last year, Paris Baguette was able to increase store count by approximately 27%, in addition to awarding 161 new franchise agreements. But Paris Baguette is not interested in growth for growth’s sake. To scale smartly, the company has zeroed in on quality, connection and customer experience by focusing on cafe design, streamlined operations and building an efficient supply chain.
The effort has paid off. The chain reported an increase in U.S. sales of more than 30% last year, to hit nearly half a billion dollars. Additionally, it has enrolled more than 1 million members in its revamped rewards program.
PBF Energy
Based in Parsippany, Fortune 500 company PBF Energy is one of the largest independent petroleum refiners and suppliers of unbranded transportation fuels, heating oil, petrochemical feedstocks, lubricants and other petroleum products in the U.S.
Beyond New Jersey, it operates subsidiaries, oil refineries and related facilities in California, Delaware, Louisiana and Ohio.
The business also owns and operates logistics assets associated with each refinery. It utilizes marine vessels, pipelines, trucks and rail to link refineries with suppliers and customers. Its Paulsboro refinery – one of six in the U.S. – sits on approximately 950 acres along the Delaware River. According to PBF, the system is the largest producer of asphalt on the East Coast. The site boasts 150,000 barrels per day production capacity.
In September, PBF closed the $175 million cash sale of two refined product terminal facilities (in Philadelphia and Knoxville), monetizing non-core assets and increasing liquidity. Commenting along with PBF’s third quarter 2025 results, President and CEO Matt Lucey noted, “Looking forward, near-term volatility in our cyclical, commodity-dependent business does not reflect our broader, favorable outlook that global supply and demand balances remain tight and the macro environment is constructive.”
PIM Brands
Ranked at No. 33 on the NJBIZ Best Places to Work Large Companies list (250+ employees), PIM Brands has been bringing smiles to workers’ and consumers’ faces since 1979. Founded as Promotion in Motion Inc., the company rebranded to its current moniker in 2021. Perhaps you’re more familiar with the brands that comprise it, though, such as Welch’s Fruit Snacks, Gummi Fun Mix, Sun-Maid Chocolate Raisins, Sour Jacks, Nuclear Sqworms, Toggi wafers and more.
PIM Brands is the largest maker of Real Fruit Snacks and related treats worldwide, along with earning distinction as one of the largest makers of chocolate and non-chocolate confections. And with renewed focus on what goes into the foods we eat, such as artificial colorings or food dyes, PIM Brands is ahead of the curve.
The business is committed to exclusively using colors from natural sources across its portfolio by early 2026. “As the category leader and a family-owned business, our top priority is always our consumers and their families. The move to colors from natural sources began over a decade ago and is already reflected in products launched since 2018 ,” said Chief Marketing Officer Jason Levine.
Playa Bowls
From its start at the Jersey Shore back in 2014, Playa Bowls has emerged as a go-to superfood bowl business.
Since launching out of a pizza shop in Belmar, Playa Bowls has grown to more than 300 locations across 28 states with a team with thousands of employees.
Last fall, private equity firm Sycamore Partners acquired the business from Tamarix Equity Partners for an undisclosed sum. At the time, new ownership said it planned to speed up growth. The move prompted several changes to Playa Bowls’ executive leadership team, including a new CEO, chief operating officer, CFO and general counsel.
In January, Franchise Times named Plaza Bowls to its list of “Fast & Serious” growing franchise systems. Taking the No. 7 spot nationally, FT highlighted nearly 107% sales growth as well as more than 88% unit growth. This fall, the brand inked its first international development deal, which will introduce Playa Bowls to Canada.
PrimoHoagies
PrimoHoagies continues to build on its storied legacy under the guidance of owner, President and CEO (since 2019) Nicholas Papanier Jr. While it was born in Philadelphia, Westville-based PrimoHoagies has been growing steadily in New Jersey.
The brand celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2022, nearly doubled sales the next year and has 126 stores as of 2025 — with more than 30 in New Jersey. PrimoHoagies has also expanded its footprint to new states, including Texas, North and South Carolina, Colorado and upstate New York.
And the franchise is racking up fans wherever it deploys.
This year, it ranked as America’s No. 1 sandwich shop by USA Today readers. It’s not the first time, though. PrimoHoagies has taken the top spot for three years running. USA Today lauded the business as an “East Coast staple built on bold flavors, premium meats and cheeses, and recipes rooted in Italian American heritage.”
Princeton Public Affairs Group
Princeton Public Affairs Group is perhaps the seminal New Jersey lobbying shop. This year, the Trenton-based business earned distinction, again, as the market leader, according to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission annual lobbying report. In 2025, PPAG’s $10.9 million in 2024 receipts pushed it to the top lobbying firm spot for the 22nd consecutive year.
Together with its Winning Circle of Companies – Winning Strategies Washington and Princeton Strategic Communications – the business spans government, public policy and communications with a team driving results through expertise in crisis communications, transportation, banking, insurance, energy, environment, land-use development, education, health care, labor/employment, hospitality, entertainment, gaming, nonprofits and more.
“We have always felt that when the economy is good – the work we do as advocates is always very good,” founder Dale Florio explained to NJBIZ in 2024. “When the economy is not so good and choices have to get made – what we do as advocates becomes even more important, and business tends to be better. More people, more constituent groups, more entities feel like they want a seat at the table – and start looking for firms like ours to help them get there.”
Prudential Financial
An anchor institution in Newark, Prudential has been based in the Brick City for its entire existence—over 150 years. A global financial services leader and active global investment manager, Pru has approximately $1.6 trillion in assets under management, as of Sept. 30, and 50 million customers in more than 50 counties. The business operates in the U.S., as well as in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Its lines include PGIM, the global investment management business; Institutional and Individual Retirement Strategies; Group Insurance; Individual Life and International Businesses.
Earlier this year, Andrew Sullivan stepped into the role of CEO as longtime leader Charles Lowrey transitioned to executive chairman. Commenting on the company’s Q3 results in October, Sullivan shared good news.
“Our third quarter adjusted operating income earnings per share reached a record-high, up 28% from the year-ago quarter, driven by earnings growth in every business,” he said. “This performance reflects continued momentum in sales and flows, as well as favorable market conditions … We also made significant progress advancing our efforts to deliver greater long-term value for our shareholders.”
Public Service Enterprise Group
Public Service Enterprise Group is a predominantly regulated energy company that has been serving New Jersey for more than 120 years.
Newark-based PSEG has three principal operating subsidiaries. Public Service Electric and Gas Co. is the state’s largest provider of electric and natural gas service. As of February, PSE&G serves 2.4 million electric customers and 1.9 million gas customers. In New York, PSEG Long Island adds another 1.1 million customers. And PSEG Power is an energy supply company
This year, Forbes ranked PSEG the No. 14 Best-In-State Employer for 2025 in New Jersey, reflecting the endorsement from a team of about 13,000 employees. With total annual revenues of $10.3 billion in 2024, the company ranked 359 on the Fortune 500 that year.
As utility bills continue to rise, PSEG will remain front and center and committed to addressing the issue. In an op-ed for NorthJersey.com, Chair, President and CEO Ralph LaRossa wrote to Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill his company “is ready to roll up our sleeves and partner with you to deliver smart, reliable and affordable utility solutions for New Jersey families and businesses.”
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