April 20th is the Day of Persons with Disabilities. The anniversary was designed to increase the willingness of the disabled to rehabilitate and to provide an opportunity for citizens to understand persons with disabilities. On this special occasion, we have a joyful news. SPC Group’s Happy Bakery & Café, which was launched to support the disabled to stand on their own feet, has marked the 10th anniversary. Today, we will look at the meaningful history for the past decade that the Group and Happy Bakery & Café have built together.
10 Years of Happy Bakery & Cafe
SPC Group launched Happy Bakery & Café in 2012 through a joint effort with the Purme Foundation, a public foundation that specializes in supporting the disabled. Happy Bakery & Café is also a social contribution model that provides high-quality jobs to the persons with developmental disabilities where companies, local governments, and NGOs cooperate. SPC Group provides vocational training to the disabled with its bakery and café management tips and supports them with store interiors, facilities, and equipment. Seoul Metropolitan Government provides operating spaces within public institutions while Purme Foundation oversees rehab projects for the disabled by using profits from store operations.
The history of Happy Bakery & Café over the past decade
Currently, there are 9 Happy Bakery & Café stores. From 2012 to up until the end of last year, it successfully settled down as a brand with cumulative sales of approximately KRW 6.2 billion. When the sales figure is converted into the price for a cup of americano, a whopping 2.48 million cups were sold. We also witnessed a significant number of new jobs. Through Happy Bakery & Café stores, a total of 38 employees – 27 disabled, 11 non-disabled – gained valuable employments.
SPC Group has held a barista competition every year for the disabled who work at the Happy Bakery & Café to instill pride and provide opportunities to strengthen their expertise. In particular, SPC Group’s coffee experts participate in the evaluation process and support launching the season’s menu for outstanding entries. So far, four of the select entries from a total of seven competitions were launched as actual sales menus with the help of internal experts at the Group.
The Group also hosts a special class for the disabled employees at Happy Bakery & Café to obtain SCA coffee international certificate, which requires a complete understanding of coffee extraction, bean roasting, and customer-oriented hospitality. Therefore, it is famous for its difficulty even for the non-disabled. Happy Bakery & Café’s special class designated to obtain the certificate provides an in-depth training for the disabled in the form of talent donation by instructors from SPC Culinary Academy. So far, 16 employees with disabilities have succeeded in obtaining the certificate.
Happy Bakery & Café operate throughout Seoul as well as Incheon International Airport
Starting with Jongro store in September 2012, Happy Bakery & Café took root all over the GSMA. Stores opened one after another at the main hall and Dasom Hall of Seoul Metropolitan Government’s HR Development Institute, Seoul Eunpyeong Hospital, Purme Foundation Nexon Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital, and Seocho-gu Office. In 2018, more persons with disabilities got their jobs as another store opened its door at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2. News of the store opening continued in the second half of last year as well. There are new stores in both Education Hall and Information Hall at Seoul Museum of Craft Art located in Anguk-dong, Seoul.
For the ‘right to work happily’ of the disabled
Happy Turtle Co., Ltd. obtained social enterprise certificate for providing jobs in 2019
SPC Group has been making various efforts for the stable operation of Happy Bakery & Café. Following the MOU with Seoul Metropolitan Government in May 2013, the Group established a social enterprise with the Purme Foundation in May 2018, known as Happy Turtle Co., Ltd. The social enterprise stands for ‘slow but happy workplace for the disabled’ and was established to strengthen Happy Bakery & Café’s competitiveness and to expand employment opportunities for the disabled. In May 2019, it obtained a social enterprise certification from the Ministry of Employment and Labor for providing jobs.
SPC Group has provided a total of KRW 2.3 billion to Happy Bakery & Café
By the end of last year, SPC Group provided KRW 2.3 billion worth of support to Happy Bakery & Café. The group is striving to provide quality jobs for the disabled through joint development of new products, trainings on SCA coffee international certificate services, regular hygiene inspections at stores and remodeling. So far, a total of 340 employees have participated in talent volunteering activities including training, advice, and consulting to help the disabled to stand on their own feet. SPC Group will spare no effort in providing support by implementing its management know-hows and professionals in respective fields.
Happy Turtle Co., Ltd.’s Coffee&, an online store designed to expand employment opportunities for the disabled
Last year, Happy Turtle Co., Ltd. opened a new online store named ‘Coffee&’ and accelerated the job creation for persons with developmental disabilities. With decreased number of customers visiting the store due to COVID-19, the Group devised a plan to continue expanding job opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities. Drip bag coffee sold at the online store is produced by youngsters with development disabilities, which has an excellent taste and high quality by using specialty coffee beans from the Group’s coffee brand COFFEE@WORKS.
Come visit Happy Turtle Co., Ltd.’s Coffee&!
Please support the dreams of the disabled together!
Survey results from the 7 Happy Bakery & Café stores
For the development of Happy Bakery & Café, Happy Turtle Co., Ltd., we conducted a survey on the customers who visited its seven stores late last year. When asked about their satisfaction level with the store services and hygiene, nearly half of the respondents(45%) replied that ‘the service provided by the disabled is not inconvenient.’ Other answers were “The store is clean (25%)”, “The disabled employees are kind (11%)”, and “The disabled employees are diligent(11%).”
When asked about the disabled baristas, there were primarily positive answers. 27% responded that they were ‘satisfied with their services’ and 26% responded that the disabled baristas are kinder. 23% of respondents even answered that ‘It’s nice to see the disabled at work.’ Other answers included ‘The experience with the disabled was satisfactory(13%),’ ‘Slow but understandable(7%),’ and ‘Professional(3%).’ Survey participants delivered supportive messages by ‘hoping to see more cafes run by the disabled.’
As it has been for the last decade, SPC Group will continue to support Happy Bakery & Café to provide a happy workplace for the disabled. The disabled have the will and right to manage their lives in spectacular and confident manners. By simply providing good jobs, it can lead to dramatic changes in the lives of the disabled. SPC Group will always do its best to create a world where disabled and non-disabled persons can live in harmony!
