Brownies & Downies, a restaurant chain that started in 2010 in Veghel, Netherlands, has grown to become one of the country's most significant and innovative establishments. As its name suggests, the brand employs more than 1,100 people with Down syndrome across 59 branches.
With a strong presence in its home country and Belgium, B&D shatters stereotypes by offering job opportunities to those with trouble getting access to more traditional positions. This approach has positioned the company as a leader not only in the culinary world, but also in terms of social inclusivity.
Highlights
- B&D employs 1,100+ people with Down syndrome across 59 branches.
- Founded by Thijs Swinkels and Teun Horck, B&D started in 2010.
- B&D won Netherlands' Food Service Award for customer friendliness.
- B&D emphasizes innovative, customer-centric growth for the future.
"Our colleagues are the cornerstone of our brand," Joep Linssen, Brand Manager at B&D, explained in an interview. "They naturally create a beautiful experience for our customers. They are our strength."
The brand's road to success hasn't been without its issues. For example, before the COVID-19 pandemic, B&D also had a store in Cape Town, South Africa, but it had to close permanently due to complications presented by the lockdown in May 2020.
Brownies & Downies, a restaurant that boasts a workforce of primarily Down syndrome people, has grown to 59 establishments
Image credits: browniesanddownies
Since its inception, the restaurant's core identity has been its combination of good food and caring for people with special needs.
Founded by two friends, Thijs Swinkels, a teacher specializing in people with disabilities, and Teun Horck, a chef, the pair combined their talents to create job opportunities for people with learning disabilities in the hospitality sector.
Brownies & Downies began as a non-profit organization, but soon switched to a for-profit model as it became increasingly successful. This allowed it to avoid relying on government subsidies or donations and expand beyond the Netherlands's borders.
The brand has since expanded considerably, earning the recognition of various organizations along the way. For instance, in 2017, the South African branch won the SAB Foundation's Inclusivity Through Entrepreneurship Award, which gave them a much-needed boost through an investment of one million Rand.
In 2020, B&D won the Netherlands' Food Service Award for coffee and lunchrooms, scoring the highest on customer friendliness and experience.
Special needs experts believe the brand's success is a massive step forward for the inclusion of neurodivergent people in the workforce
Image credits: browniesanddownies
"Initiatives such as Brownies & Downies represent a massive advancement in terms of inclusion, equality, and development opportunities," Nadia Figueroa, a special needs teacher and Montessori guide with more than 10 years of experience, explained to Bored Panda.
"Neurodivergent people have to deal with a multitude of pre-established societal barriers not only when it comes to finding work but to developing healthy social circles. I can't stress the benefits of having a workplace where they are not a minority."
While the creation and success of a brand like Brownies & Downies opens new doors for workers with learning disabilities, it also draws attention to the special care they require to excel.
"The cognitive abilities of people with Down syndrome vary greatly; this means that the store has to adapt its training program to each individual," Figueroa added.
Image credits: browniesanddownies
B&D operates by hiring "mentors" who specialize in teaching neurodivergent people for various positions, from chefs to waiters and other roles. One such example is Head Chef Shereen Abrahams, who worked as a volunteer at the South African branch in 2017 before moving to a full position.
"When I first came into work here, my heart went out to these kids," she said. "I understand what they go through. My sister has a child with Down syndrome, and my other sister has a child who is deaf, so when I got here, I just clicked with the kids."
For Figueroa, B&D's rapid growth and success are greatly explained by its multidisciplinary team of psychologists and special needs professionals. "That's precisely what allows them to excel socially and in their work," she added.
While employing people with Down syndrome comes with its challenges, they can thrive and excel at what they do with the right tools in place
Image credits: browniesanddownies
The special needs teacher went on to explain how initiatives like B&D are essential in removing the stigma of what neurodivergent people can contribute to society, explaining that they are not inherently disabled, just in need of different types of learning.
"There are countless examples of them becoming the protagonists of their respective workplaces," she explained. "Constantly seeing them as people needing assistance limits their development."
"When coupled with empathetic accompaniment processes, these workers can become truly excellent at what they do," Figueroa explained, adding that learning needs in the workplace are common to all humans and are not exclusive to any one condition.
Image credits: browniesanddownies
Figueroa also gave some examples of how specialists like her deal with the needs presented by neurodivergent workers.
"If an employee has speech difficulties, we can use a device such as a GoTalk to allow the person to communicate via pictograms with their colleagues," she explained.
"If the worker has a moderate level of intellectual disability, then they'll need a step-by-step guide on their activities they can see at all times, such as a whiteboard, as well as the supervision of an experienced colleague."
Brownies & Downies has received both praise and criticism as the brand becomes more known on social media. Critics initially considered the brand name to be "in bad taste"
Image credits: browniesanddownies
For the Brownies & Downies Brand Manager, Joep Linssen, finding the right mix of online and offline channels has been challenging, opting to manage their brand image in-house due to the importance of treating their workers respectfully.
"We have the greatest affinity with our brand. We understand our workers and customers like no other," he said to CustomerFirst. "You can see this in everything we do, from our menu with beautiful photos and special stories to our videos featuring our employees' hobbies and passions."
B&D has a strong social media presence through its TikTok page, which boasts over 5.1 million likes across 77 uploads. Its videos prominently feature employees having fun, sharing their talents, and customers having a great time.
Image credits: browniesanddownies
While their social media presence has garnered them heaps of praise, it has also created a minor controversy around its brand name, with some netizens criticizing the usage of the word "Downies," considering it to be offensive.
"No f–ing way they named the store like that," a user wrote on X, sharing one of the store's dancing videos. "Yeah, I hate the name," another replied.
Wade Schultz, one of the founders of the South African branch, addressed the controversy in 2016, explaining that the name was created in collaboration with parents of young adults with Down syndrome and that they were delighted by the brand.
"They say it is not about the name; it is about the fact that there is finally a place where they are accepted for who they are and where they can work," Schultz said.
B&D celebrated more than 13 years of history this year, but their Brand Manager believes there's more work to be done
Image credits: Brownies&downieS Valkenburg
The brand's growth has been nothing short of impressive, expanding from just one location in 2010 to ten in 2014, then experiencing explosive growth to 40 stores in 2017, and reaching 59 locations as of 2024.
When asked about the franchise's future, Linssen recognized the importance of not becoming too comfortable with its success, stressing that it must keep innovating and delighting its customers for the brand to thrive.
"We want to do and make things that people want to see. Things that make them say: 'Hey, that was nicely done!'" Linssen stated. "In addition, the stories that our workers create with our customers are and will remain incredibly important. That is and will remain our approach."
For Figueroa, who works with Down syndrome students in South America, the fact that a place like Brownies & Downies is expanding is a hopeful sign. "Spaces like that allow us to celebrate our wonderful diversity and bring attention to the potential that people with different backgrounds have."