Bitty & Beau's growing its fleet of mobile Coffee Cruisers

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee, a coffee company that’s known for its mission to create job opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, announced last Friday that it is actively seeking to connect with new potential owner-operators as the brand scales up its mobile coffee franchise.

The brand’s franchise offering is centered on the Coffee Cruiser, a complete mobile coffee shop that’s designed to go wherever customers are, from local festivals to corporate events. The Cruiser-based model allows Bitty & Beau’s franchisees to start a coffee business and forge meaningful connections within their communities without needing to build or lease a brick-and-mortar storefront. The brand also offers a Mini Cruiser, which provides scaled down offerings in a smaller trailer.

“People want to own businesses that mean something,” said Amy Wright, co-founder of Bitty & Beau’s Coffee. “Our Cruiser franchise gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to build something of their own while creating jobs for people with disabilities and making a real difference in their communities. That’s a powerful combination.”

Bitty & Beau’s was founded in Wilmington, North Carolina in 2016 by Amy and her husband Ben Wright with an eye toward social impact as well as entrepreneurship. Franchising since 2020, the brand is mission-driven and currently employs more than 500 people with disabilities through its network of coffee shops and mobile franchises.

“We started Bitty & Beau’s Coffee with a mission to change the way the world sees people with disabilities,” Wright said. “Every new Cruiser brings that mission to another community. We’re excited to partner with people across the country who want to be part of what we’re building.”

The brand currently commands a fleet of eight Coffee Cruisers, with eight additional mobile units nearing deployment and dozens more in the development pipeline. In addition to being set up with a Cruiser, Bitty & Beau’s franchisees receive extensive initial training, operational resources, and ongoing support, which are provided by the company’s Wilmington-based team.

As Bitty & Beau’s continues to grow its franchise system, the brand is currently seeking to connect with qualified operators in markets across the United States who share their vision of an inclusive workplace and passion for community engagement.