Social enterprise Elite Clothing Solutions provide our blas uniforms

We’ve launched blas, our onboard food and drink service so you can enjoy the new range of fresh, tasty food and drink available on our long-distance trains. Whether that’s a three-course meal in First Class, a hot snack from our food bar or a tea or coffee paired up with a sweet treat from the trolley. 

But blas is about more than great-tasting food. It’s about doing good things in our communities. We’re buying more of the ingredients we use and the food and drink we sell from talented local suppliers, helping them create more jobs locally and allowing you to try some of the finest foods Wales has to offer. 

And when it comes to buying locally, we don’t just mean what’s on our menus.

We’re proud to have partnered with Elite Clothing Solutions, a social enterprise based in Ebbw Vale to supply the distinctive blas uniforms worn by our Premier hosts on our First Class dining service. This includes everything from aprons to shirts, jumpers, t-shirts and polo-shirts. 

We wanted to create a smart, distinctive uniform for our hosts that conveyed their professionalism, skill and commitment to providing a distinctive food and drink service for our customers. It also needed to be practical for them as serving food and drink on a moving train is no easy task.

The talented team at Elite rose to the challenge, working closely with us to create a high-quality, practical uniform that’s comfortable and our staff are proud to wear.

Elite is a ‘Made in Wales’ brand and one of the few remaining bespoke clothing suppliers carrying out manufacturing more sustainably in the UK.  Local production means fewer carbon emissions, helping to protect our environment.

As a social enterprise, Elite employs local people who were previously unemployed due to disability or personal circumstances, helping them learn, train and develop their skills in an inclusive working environment. Elite also supports long-term employability locally.

They’re expanding too, with plans to double the workforce and bring in new vinyl printing machinery at their Ebbw Vale factory.

We’re pleased to work with Elite to bring blas to life. We want to serve our customers while helping our communities to thrive.