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

WILMINGTON, N.C., March 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As the world recognizes World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st, Bitty & Beau's Coffee is celebrating the growing presence of people with Down syndrome in the workforce through a groundbreaking business model that is reshaping how disability is perceived in everyday life.

Founded in 2016 by Amy and Ben Wright in honor of their two youngest children, Bitty and Beau, who have Down syndrome, Bitty & Beau's Coffee began with a simple but ambitious goal: to create meaningful employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in highly visible, customer-facing roles. Inside each 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 in Wilmington, North Carolina has grown into a nationally recognized brand with locations across the United States, along with a growing fleet of mobile Coffee Cruisers bringing the company's mission to communities, events, and campuses around the country. 

Today, the Bitty & Beau's Coffee movement includes:

• Coffee shop locations across the United States
• Mobile Coffee Cruisers serving events, campuses, and communities
• A growing workforce of employees with Down syndrome and other disabilities
• A national customer base supporting the mission both in-store and online

The company was founded in response to a sobering statistic: nearly 80% of people with disabilities in the United States are unemployed. Rather than addressing the issue through programs or advocacy alone, the Wrights chose to tackle the problem through business.

Bitty & Beau's Coffee operates as a for-profit company where people with disabilities are employed in meaningful, visible roles—demonstrating every day that inclusion is not only possible, but powerful.

"World Down Syndrome Day is an opportunity to celebrate the value and contributions of people with Down syndrome," said co-founder Amy Wright. "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."

To mark the occasion, 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.

For many families, stepping into a Bitty & Beau's Coffee shop offers something rare: a glimpse of a future where people with disabilities are welcomed as valued members of the workforce and the community.

Media Contact: Amy Wright Email: pressinquiry@bandbco.com Phone: 910-232-5376

About Bitty & Beau's Coffee: Bitty & Beau's Coffee is a nationally recognized coffee company dedicated to creating meaningful employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Founded in Wilmington, North Carolina, the company has grown into a network of locations across the United States, along with mobile Coffee Cruisers serving communities nationwide, and continues to influence how businesses think about inclusion in the workplace.

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SOURCE Bitty & Beau's Coffee