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

Coffee company founded by parents of children with Down syndrome continues to expand employment opportunities nationwide.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 10:17pm

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Bitty & Beau's Coffee, a nationally recognized coffee company dedicated to creating meaningful employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, is celebrating World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st. Founded in 2016 by Amy and Ben Wright in honor of their two children with Down syndrome, the company has grown from a single coffee shop in Wilmington, North Carolina to a network of locations across the United States, along with mobile Coffee Cruisers serving communities nationwide.

Why it matters

Bitty & Beau's Coffee is reshaping how businesses think about disability and work, demonstrating that inclusion is not only possible, but powerful. The company's mission to employ people with Down syndrome and other disabilities in visible, customer-facing roles challenges the sobering statistic that nearly 80% of people with disabilities in the U.S. are unemployed.

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 growing fleet of mobile Coffee Cruisers bringing the company's mission to communities, events, and campuses around the country.

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

The players

Bitty & Beau's Coffee

A nationally recognized coffee company dedicated to creating meaningful employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Amy and Ben Wright

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

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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

What’s next

Bitty & Beau's Coffee is inviting supporters to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day 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 challenges the status quo and inspires other businesses to rethink how they approach disability and workforce diversity.