© Sander van der Veen
Social entrepreneur and founder of B&D
Thijs Swinkels
Thijs Swinkels is a (social) entrepreneur and founder of the successful Brownies&downieS concept. Originally from Veghel, the company grew to 60 locations across the Netherlands in 12 years. Brownies&downieS has since been successfully sold to caterer Albron.
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Keynote spreker
Employability:
Keynote spreker,
About Thijs Swinkels
In an ideal world, Brownies&downieS would not exist
Starting a company only to declare that your company ideally shouldn’t exist at all… Few entrepreneurs would make such a statement. Yet, this is the striking but clear message from Thijs Swinkels.
How does this work? In the Netherlands, we have had various initiatives for people with a distance to the labor market for years. But in an ideal world, there shouldn’t be special initiatives for this target group. Why don’t they work at the local bakery, supermarket, or clothing store? Of course, with proper guidance. The target group is ready, now the consumer needs to be!
Thijs Swinkels is a name synonymous with innovative entrepreneurship with a deep social awareness. His story begins in 2010, when at just 25 years old, he realized his dream by starting a lunch café in his hometown of Veghel. This lunch café, named Brownies&downieS, was not just any eatery. It was a place where people with a distance to the labor market were given a chance to shine.
What made Brownies&downieS so unique was not only the heartwarming concept but also the uncompromising quality that Thijs and his team delivered. With a combination of hospitality, high-quality food, and a relaxed atmosphere, they quickly attracted a wide audience. The success was undeniable and led to the establishment of a franchise formula in 2012, whose growth spread like wildfire across towns and cities throughout the Netherlands.
The success of Brownies&downieS was not only in the appeal of the target group but also in Thijs’s entrepreneurship. He strongly believed in self-reliance and aimed to make all Brownies&downieS locations financially independent, without relying on subsidies or donations. This vision, combined with a keen eye for quality and service, earned Thijs and his team several prestigious awards, including multiple GFK-Awards and Foodservice Awards.
In 2022, after years of dedication to the Brownies&downieS brand, Thijs decided to pass the baton to caterer Albron. However, this did not mark the end of his entrepreneurial journey. On the contrary, Thijs remained driven to apply his passion and knowledge to new challenges. Together with former employee and good friend Philip Christiaans, he founded ‘the Franchise Club’, a company that helps budding entrepreneurs roll out their franchise formula.
In addition to his entrepreneurial activities, Thijs has also taken on a role as an inspiring speaker. He has spoken for various institutions and events, including the Social Impact Day, TedX, and Fontys University of Applied Sciences, where he shares his experiences and valuable lessons on perseverance, entrepreneurship, job satisfaction, and the importance of the target group.
Thijs Swinkels remains an example of entrepreneurship with a social conscience, always seeking new ways to combine his passion for helping others with business success.