News
ESS, specialist provider of foodservice and FM to military establishments across the UK, has partnered with SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity to create the ‘Frontline Fuel’ flapjack.
The product will be stocked in stores, cafés and messes across the ESS Defence estate, with all profits going to SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity, which has provided lifelong support to serving personnel, veterans and their families for over 140 years.
Developed in collaboration with ESS’ supply partner Snak Shed, part of Springvale Foods, the flapjacks are available in original, strawberry and white chocolate varieties and come in specially designed packaging with eye-catching SSAFA branding.
Samples were previewed at the Armed Forces Week event at Compass Group head office in Chertsey, with the products being officially launched at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in early July. Guests from ESS, SSAFA, Springvale Foods and the Academy enjoyed a ‘Big Brew Up’, following the theme of the SSAFA initiative which encourages people to get together to share a brew and a cake or two in support of the charity.
ESS is part of Compass Group UK & Ireland which signed the Armed Forces Covenant in 2016, achieved Gold status through the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme in 2018 and secured Gold revalidation in 2023. The company has a thriving Armed Forces Network which supports, advocates for and promotes the Armed Forces community, both within Compass and externally with military communities, industry partners and charitable and recruitment partners.
Compass has a longstanding relationship with SSAFA and supports the charity through fundraising and engagement activities.
Partnerships like the one SSAFA is establishing with ESS show the power of working together and the real difference they make, and so we’re incredibly grateful to ESS for their creativity and generosity.
The flapjacks are another amazing innovation and show just how valued our veterans, serving personnel, and their families are by industries supporting the Armed Forces. From all at SSAFA, and from all the people we support, thank you.
We’re delighted to be collaborating with SSAFA and Snak Shed on the Frontline Fuel project. Flapjacks are an ever-popular choice across our estate and it’s brilliant that purchases made by service personnel will now be helping a charity that supports the military community. We’re confident that the new products will be a big hit!
We’re committed to delivering social value within the communities that we serve, and this project is a perfect example. SSAFA does incredibly important work to support the Armed Forces community and I’m thrilled that we’ve partnered with them to create a great product that I’ve no doubt will be very popular with our customers.
