Four Friends With Down Syndrome Couldn’t Get Hired, So They Started A Pizza Business That Took Off

For many young people, finding a first job can be challenging. For four friends in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the challenge was even greater. Despite their skills, motivation, and desire to work, Mateo Kawaguchi, Leandro López Padros, Franco Noseda, and Mauricio Rolden struggled to find a stable opportunity where they could build a career.

Instead of accepting that there were no doors open for them, the four friends decided to create their own. They launched Los Perejiles, a mobile pizza company that brings fresh food to homes, offices, and celebrations while giving its employees something many people take for granted: the chance to earn a living through meaningful work.

In Buenos Aires, four friends with Down syndrome turned repeated job rejection into opportunity by launching their own pizza catering business, Los Perejiles, in 2016. pic.twitter.com/WqOJCXjpGE

— Fact Point (@FactPoint) April 4, 2026

The Friends Who Turned A Simple Idea Into A Real Business

The concept behind Los Perejiles was simple. Customers could hire the team for an event, and the employees would arrive at the location to prepare pizzas and other foods for guests. But behind the business was a much bigger goal: helping young people with Down syndrome gain independence and become part of the workforce.

The four founders had known each other since they were teenagers and had spent time developing important everyday skills with support from Taller Surmando, an organization that works with young people with Down syndrome. The group helped them learn tasks that encouraged independence, including cooking, traveling alone, and managing responsibilities at home.

Kevin Degirmenci, a physical education teacher involved with the project, explained that employment was one of the biggest challenges facing the young men. While they were learning valuable skills, finding a long-term job where they could grow was much harder.

“People with Down Syndrome often struggle to find a stable job that they enjoy,” Degirmenci said.

That challenge led the team to a different approach. Instead of waiting for a company to offer them a position, they decided to create a business where they could use their abilities, develop new skills, and work alongside each other.

Estos cuatro chicos con Síndrome de Down, cansados de que los discriminen, crearon su propio emprendimiento en 2016: “Pizza party Los Perejiles”. Ni planes sociales ni empleo público, solo dedicación y mucho esfuerzo. Siguen adelante pensando en nuevas ideas. Felicitaciones. pic.twitter.com/qPSmTrcU9Q

— Manuel Adorni (@madorni) October 7, 2020

Los Perejiles Hosted Its First Pizza Party In Buenos Aires

The company officially began with a birthday celebration on July 9. During their first event, the team prepared enough pizza to serve 50 guests, marking the beginning of what would become a growing business.

The event showed that the idea could work. The team was able to handle a real customer experience, prepare food for a large group, and divide responsibilities among themselves. Soon after, more customers began booking Los Perejiles for celebrations and gatherings.

Within a few months, the group had organized more than 30 pizza events across Buenos Aires and San Isidro, a suburb of the Argentine capital. Their services became popular because they offered more than just food. Guests were also supporting a business built around inclusion and opportunity.

The company name itself carries a message. “Los Perejiles” can be used in Spanish as a teasing term for someone considered unimportant. The founders chose the name because they wanted to turn that idea upside down and show that the business behind it was serious.

How The Team Built A Workplace Around Their Strengths

Los Perejiles operates differently from a traditional restaurant. The company does not have its own kitchen, so the team prepares pizza dough at Leandro’s home every Wednesday before heading out to events.

When a booking arrives, the employees travel to the customer’s location several hours before the event begins. They prepare the ingredients, cook the food, serve guests, and manage the entire experience from start to finish.

Each team member takes on different responsibilities during events. Some focus on cooking, while others handle preparation and serving. They also rotate tasks, allowing everyone to gain experience in different areas of the business.

Their menu has grown beyond pizza as well. The team has prepared traditional Argentine empanadas, bruschetta, and onion focaccia, giving customers more choices while helping employees expand their abilities in the kitchen.

Why Employment Remains A Challenge For Many People With Disabilities

The story of Los Perejiles comes at a time when many people with disabilities continue to face barriers in the workplace. Finishing school does not always lead to a clear path toward employment, and many struggle to find positions that match their interests and abilities.

In Argentina, disability advocates have pointed to major gaps between employment laws and real opportunities. The country requires a percentage of government jobs to be filled by people with disabilities, but campaigners say those rules are often not fully followed.

Private companies are also able to hire workers with disabilities, and some receive tax benefits for doing so. However, there is no broad requirement that forces businesses to create these positions.

For the founders of Los Perejiles, creating their own company became a way to overcome those obstacles. Their pizza business gave them a workplace where they could earn money, contribute to a team, and show customers what they were capable of achieving.

The Pizza Company Started Creating More Jobs

The success of Los Perejiles did not stop with the original four founders. As more customers discovered the business, the project began expanding and creating opportunities for other young people with Down syndrome who were also looking for meaningful work.

By August, the company had hired four more employees, bringing the total number of pizza makers on the team to eight. The growth showed that the idea could become more than a small community project. It was developing into a business with real responsibilities, customers, and employees.

For most of the young workers involved, Los Perejiles represented their first major step into paid employment. Before joining the company, only one employee, Pablo, had previously held a regular job in the food industry.

Behind the scenes, the business is supported by a team of seven people who help manage administration, organization, and social media. Their support allows the pizza makers to focus on what they do best: preparing food and connecting with customers.

The Team Is Proving Inclusion Can Work In Practice

The founders of Los Perejiles are changing the way many people think about employment and disability. Their story is not based on receiving special treatment. It is based on building a company, serving customers, and meeting the same expectations faced by any other business.

Every event requires preparation, teamwork, and responsibility. The employees arrive ready to work, divide tasks, communicate with each other, and make sure customers receive a positive experience.

The company has also used its success to support the wider community. During the “Frío Cero” campaign in Buenos Aires, the Los Perejiles team donated 100 pizzas to help homeless people during a period of cold weather.

That moment showed another side of the business. The team was not only creating opportunities for themselves but also using their skills to help others.

Their work has reached birthdays, office events, religious celebrations, and community activities. Each event gives the team another chance to demonstrate that ability should not be judged by outdated assumptions.

A Business Model Built Around Opportunity

The growth of Los Perejiles reflects a larger conversation about creating workplaces where more people can participate. For many individuals with disabilities, the biggest barrier is not a lack of talent but a lack of opportunities to demonstrate what they can do.

The pizza company provides a practical example of how support and independence can exist together. Taller Surmando helped the founders prepare for working life, but the young entrepreneurs are responsible for running the business and building relationships with customers.

Their experience also shows the value of allowing people to develop different skills. The team members are not limited to one role. They cook, serve, organize events, and learn how every part of the business works.

As the company continues to grow, Los Perejiles is showing that small ideas can create significant change when people are given the chance to participate.

What Started With Four Friends Became A Movement

Los Perejiles began with four friends who wanted something many people hope for: a job they enjoyed and a place where their efforts were valued.

The company’s success came from a simple formula. Good food, hard work, and a team willing to challenge expectations turned a local idea into a growing business.

The founders set out to make pizza, but they ended up creating something that reached far beyond the kitchen. Every event they complete adds another example of what happens when opportunities are created instead of restricted.

The next time someone questions what a person with a disability can achieve, the answer may come from a pizza oven in Buenos Aires.