Braw Tea Café: A Kind Kitchen Changing Lives
This case study highlights Dundee-based Braw Tea Café, which empowers disadvantaged women through training, employment, and community support. Supported by Firstport, it offers a welcoming space for skill-building and confidence while serving homemade vegetarian and vegan meals.
A Warm Welcome to Braw Tea Café
Located in the heart of Broughty Ferry, steps away from the scenic Broughty Ferry beach, Braw Tea Café is more than just a place for a great cup of tea. It’s a social enterprise with a powerful mission supporting disadvantaged women (volunteers) in Dundee. It provides them with training, employment opportunities, and a supportive community.
Lovingly known as the ‘Kind Kitchen’ by locals, Braw Tea resides in a council-owned building in the Castle Green playground. Every meal directly contributes to a worthy cause – helping women build confidence, reduce social isolation, and take meaningful steps toward future employment.
Organisation’s Vision
Braw Tea Café operates with the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive. Through its programmes, the café offers volunteers:
- Skills Enhancement: Providing certified training that leads to potential employment and economic independence.
- Confidence Building & Teamwork: Encouraging women to develop self-esteem through hands-on experience in a professional kitchen.
- Community & Friendship: Creating a welcoming space where women can form meaningful connections, breaking the cycle of social isolation and stigma.
The café serves delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes made from scratch, ensuring customers and volunteers enjoy wholesome, nourishing meals.
Meet the Founder: Jackie McKenzie’s Journey
In Pic: Jackie McKenzie
Jackie, the driving force behind Braw Tea, is a passionate changemaker with over three decades of experience in marketing, communications, and business support. Having helped 30+ businesses launch and even contributed to government-adopted start-up schemes, she knew she wanted to use her expertise to create a lasting social impact.
During lockdown, Jackie combined her business expertise with her passion for food by running a successful food truck. Her dedication to the culinary arts led her to complete professional cookery training at Ballymaloe Cookery School in 2022. With a strong advisory group of professional women backing her venture, Jackie has turned Braw Tea into a thriving, community-driven enterprise.
Firstport’s Support
Although the café officially opened on June 10, 2023, Firstport has provided essential business and financial support since January 2023.
The Start It Award: In January 2023, Braw Tea received the Start It grant, which helped cover essential costs, including utility bills, marketing expenses (such as website design and hosting), and the café’s launch event. This funding laid the groundwork for the café’s successful opening.
The Build It Award: A year later, in January 2024, Braw Tea was awarded a Build It grant of £25,000. This funding allowed Jackie to leave her previous employment and dedicate herself full-time to growing the café. With her full attention on the venture, she has expanded operations, supported more women, and developed new income streams, ensuring the café’s long-term sustainability.
A Lasting Social Impact
Braw Tea Café is a movement addressing social inequalities in Dundee. By developing confidence, resilience, and practical skills, the café empowers women to pursue brighter futures.
In just six months, Braw Tea has worked with 25 female volunteers aged 16 to 80 from diverse backgrounds, including the UK, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Singapore. The café provides training in barista skills, food preparation, handling, and customer service, equipping trainees with valuable experience for further education or employment opportunities.
By transforming an existing community space into a hub of learning, support, and friendship, Braw Tea continues to change lives one cup at a time.
The Power of Social Enterprise
Braw Tea Café is another example that highlights the power of social enterprise in creating meaningful change, offering women the skills and support they need to build brighter futures. With Firstport’s backing, it continues to grow as a space of empowerment, connection, and opportunity in the heart of Dundee.
Your Next Step: Visit & Support Braw Tea!
If you ever find yourself in Dundee, make sure to stop by this picturesque, welcoming café. Whether you’re enjoying a cup of tea, a homemade vegan dish, or simply soaking in the community atmosphere, every visit contributes to a greater cause.
In the meantime, stay connected! Follow Braw Tea Café on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with their inspiring journey and see how they’re making a difference, one woman at a time.