X-Forces has today announced that the retailer Tesco has signed up to become an Advocate of its Big Business supporting Small Business Campaign.

X-Forces is the leading UK organisation for enterprise in the military community and it’s Big Business supporting Small Business campaign aims to influence policy and encourage large organisations to engage with small entrepreneurial start-ups.

Tesco has a proud record of supporting the Armed Forces dating right back to founder Jack Cohen, who set Tesco up with his demob money after serving in the First World War and as an advocate of X-Forces, Tesco has pledged to offer support, mentoring and advice where it can.

The X-Forces Big Business supporting Small Business campaign has already had an impact, influencing Ministry of Defence Armed Forces Covenant guidelines, acknowledging that supporting military-owned businesses can add value to any organisation. It aims to ensure that small military-owned businesses such as Sinah Common Honey have a voice in the procurement process.

Former Royal Military Police Officer, John Geden, who founded Sinah Common Honey as a family business said

I feel safe next to an open bee hive, after all, who is going to come and bother me! After attending the Help for Heroes and X-Forces six-day workshop to develop my brand and learn more about small business development, I’ve been able to turn my fascination for bees into a business that really makes me happy.

Commenting on Tesco supporting X-Forces, Ren Kapur MBE, X-Forces CEO and Founder said:

X-Forces supports entrepreneurs just like Jack Cohen every day, of the 1200 Armed Forces businesses X-Forces has helped, over 90% of these are successful and are a testament to the characteristics and talent instilled in our military.

Duncan Hoy, Tesco Managing Director for Large Stores, said

Tesco has a proud history of supporting the military and are pleased to support X-Forces in helping more people from a forces background with their first step in business. Our founder Jack Cohen set up Tesco after serving in the First World War and we hope our support for X-Forces can help those, just like him, in forging a new career after the military.