Brownies & Downies, a restaurant chain that started in 2010 in Veghel, Netherlands, has grown to become one of thecountry’s most significant and innovative establishments. As its name suggests, the brand employs more than 1,100 people withDown syndromeacross 59 branches.
“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.”
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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.
Brownies & Downiesbegan 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.
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The brand has since expanded considerably, earning the recognition of various organizations along the way. For instance, in2017, 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
“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 toBored Panda.
“Neurodivergentpeople have to deal with a multitude of pre-established societal barriers not only when it comes to finding work but to developinghealthy 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.
“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.”
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
The special needs teacher went on to explain how initiatives like B&D are essential in removing thestigmaof 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 ofthembecoming 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 onecondition.
“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.
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”
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 toCustomerFirst. “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 itsTikTok 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.
While their social media presence has garnered them heaps of praise, it has also created aminor controversyaround 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 userwroteon X, sharing one of the store’s dancing videos. “Yeah, I hate the name,” another replied.
“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.”
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