Brownies & Downies

Yesterday was my 31st birthday, in our household my hubby and I don't make a big deal about our birthdays and will buy a gift for each other if we can and if we see something the other person would like.

So  was incredibly and happily surprised when my hubby came trough the door last night with a gift box containing brownies from Brownies & Downies.

This was such a thoughtful and wonderful gift it really was, if you have been here a while you will know that two of my boys are special needs and that I am incredibly passionate about special needs education, learning and general quality of lifestyle and afforded opportunity.

For those who do not know;

Brownies & downieS started in the Netherlands in 2010 because of an idea that two friends had. Teun Horck and Thijs Swinkels realised their calling to help people with intellectual disabilities by opening the first Brownies & downieS in Veghel. They created a unique concept in the Netherlands and surrounding countries and have seen successful growth by over 40 stores since those early days.

Wendy Vermeulen, a Dutch social work student and the daughter of an entrepreneur, completed her internship in Cape Town in 2010. She saw a desperate need for facilities, training and employment after school for people who have an intellectual disability in South Africa. More urgent was her realisation that the public’s stigmas surrounding intellectual disabilities were misplaced. On her return to the Netherlands she took the initiative and contacted the founders of Brownies & downieS, who agreed without question to support Wendy’s dream of opening a non-profit cafe and training centre in Cape Town where people of ability and disability can learn and grow together.

"Brownies and downieS is the happiest, funnest, coolest food experience in Africa- where ability and disability meet!"

Let me just say that their brownies are truly melt in your mouth decadence and they are honestly the best that I have ever had, aside from that they are Gluten free and some of them are even full Vegan!

The menu ranges from an excellent cup of coffee to breakfasts, sandwiches and of course their brownies which I guarantee to be addictive, the manager and servers are an absolute delight and I could not be happier that this 'shop'exists and affords an opportunity to those who not only truly deserve it but who make everyone's day with their smiles.  I am honestly dreading the end of my brownie selection and I guarantee a repeat trip in the very near future.

If you would like to see their menu or read up a bit more about the organisation and those involved pop on over to their website and without fail do yourself a favor and try their brownies you will not be disappointed =)