Bitty & Beau's Coffee Celebrates World Down Syndrome Day with Growing Workforce

Founded by parents of children with Down syndrome, the company is reshaping how businesses think about disability and work.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 5:54pm

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Bitty & Beau's Coffee, a coffee shop chain founded in 2016 by Amy and Ben Wright in honor of their two children with Down syndrome, is celebrating World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st. The company has grown from a single location in Wilmington, North Carolina to multiple coffee shops and mobile Coffee Cruisers across the United States, all employing a workforce of people with Down syndrome and other disabilities in visible, customer-facing roles.

Why it matters

Bitty & Beau's Coffee is addressing the sobering statistic that nearly 80% of people with disabilities in the U.S. are unemployed. Rather than just advocacy, the company is tackling the issue through a for-profit business model that demonstrates inclusion is not only possible, but powerful.

The details

Inside each Bitty & Beau's Coffee shop and Coffee Cruiser, team members with Down syndrome and other disabilities greet customers, prepare drinks, and serve as the heart of the customer experience. What started as a single coffee shop has grown into a nationally recognized brand with locations across the U.S. and a fleet of mobile Coffee Cruisers bringing the company's mission to communities, events, and campuses.

  • Bitty & Beau's Coffee was founded in 2016.
  • World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated on March 21st.

The players

Amy and Ben Wright

The founders of Bitty & Beau's Coffee, who started the company in honor of their two youngest children, Bitty and Beau, who have Down syndrome.

Bitty & Beau's Coffee

A coffee shop chain that employs a workforce of people with Down syndrome and other disabilities in visible, customer-facing roles, reshaping how disability is perceived in everyday life.

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What they’re saying

“World Down Syndrome Day is an opportunity to celebrate the value and contributions of people with Down syndrome. At our coffee shops and Coffee Cruisers, customers experience something simple but transformative—people with Down syndrome doing meaningful work and being recognized for the joy, dedication, and humanity they bring to their jobs.”

— Amy Wright, Co-founder, Bitty & Beau's Coffee

What’s next

To mark World Down Syndrome Day, Bitty & Beau's Coffee is inviting supporters to celebrate by visiting their local shop or shopping online at bittyandbeauscoffee.com. Purchases made in-store or online help support the company's continued mission of expanding employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

The takeaway

Bitty & Beau's Coffee is proving that inclusion and meaningful employment for people with disabilities is not only possible, but can be a powerful and transformative business model. The company's success is reshaping how disability is perceived in everyday life.