Sodexo Extends Its Support Of Veterans With Combat2Coffee Partnership
Combat2Coffee is a coffee company with a difference, created by its founder, Nigel Seaman, a Royal Anglian veteran, to support the wellbeing and mental health of ex‑service personnel and their families using coffee as a vehicle for conversation. The vision of Combat2Coffee is to provide:
- mental health and signposting support through a dedicated and experienced outreach team and community hubs
- employability skills through barista and roasting training
From its roastery in Ipswich, Suffolk, the Combat2Coffee team of staff and volunteers, many of which are veterans, ex‑uniformed or prison leavers, produce the unique Combat2Coffee blend using fairtrade and sustainable premium coffee beans sourced by Nigel himself from two family farms in Brazil.
As a purpose‑led business Sodexo is committed to doing all it can to support SMEs and VCSEs and has been running its supplier inclusion programme for almost ten years. The programme has been designed to break down barriers which historically may have put off SMEs from pitching for supply contracts with large organisations like Sodexo. It has been designed to provide a safe environment for potential supply partners to work with Sodexo.
Combat2Coffee participated in the programme and with a shared commitment to supporting the whole armed forces community including veterans was the perfect partner for Sodexo’s Government business.
The first step in the new partnership is the introduction of Combat2Coffee at Larkhill Garrison, part of Project Allenby Connaught.
Nigel Seaman, founder of Combat2Coffee, said: “Our mission at Combat2Coffee is to create a supportive community for veterans and their families, ensuring all those affected by mental ill health are heard, understood and supported. Partnering with Sodexo enables us to extend our reach and impact, bringing our unique coffee blend and the warmth of our community to the service personnel, veterans and their families living, working and visiting Larkhill Garrison.”
Mark Baker, Chief Operating Officer Defence, Sodexo UK & Ireland, added: “Our collaboration with Combat2Coffee highlights our commitment to enriching the lives of military veterans and their families through meaningful opportunities and providing much needed health and wellbeing support for those who may be finding it hard to adjust to civilian life. We are excited about the partnership and look forward to working with Nigel and his team to expand Combat2Coffee’s reach further.”
Sodexo has partnered with the Armed Forces for over 30 years. With 4,700 colleagues serving 75,000 customers at 35 military bases, Sodexo understands how important the lived experience is for all those living and working at those sites whether military personnel or all ranks and the civilians supporting them.
Sodexo was an early signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant an initiative which commends employers who actively support the Armed Forces community in their workplace and encourages others to follow their lead.
Sodexo has been a Gold award holder in the Employer Recognition Award scheme since 2017. Gold is the highest badge of honour from the Ministry of Defence and reflects Sodexo’s commitment to the UK Armed Forces community including its continued support in the employment of ex‑armed forces personnel and their families as well as those employees which are members of the Reserves.
