It started with world hunger.

While studying economics at university, I became obsessed with one question: what are people eating during humanitarian crises?

The answer was not enough.

So I set out to create the most calorie-dense, nourishing bar possible — something that could deliver maximum nutrition in the smallest, most resilient format imaginable.

That original mission hit a wall.

Aid agencies are deeply bureaucratic, and breaking into that world as a young graduate with a good idea and no connections proved impossible.

But something unexpected happened.

I found the people who needed it most.

I started speaking to people who had the exact same problem in completely different contexts.

Ultra-endurance athletes burning thousands of calories but unable to eat mid-race. Expedition teams preparing for the most extreme environments on earth. And people living with conditions like eating disorders, Crohn's disease, and the effects of chemotherapy — all of whom struggled to consume enough calories when appetite disappears and eating feels impossible.

The need was the same everywhere: maximum calories, minimum effort, in a format the body can actually handle.

I had over 150 of these conversations before I made a single bar.

I listened to what people actually needed.

Maximum calories and nutrition in a compact, lightweight format. Soft texture, so chewing isn't a barrier. Easy to eat and digest. Tasty but not sickly sweet, so it's manageable when appetite drops. Versatile enough to be mixed into a porridge when even chewing feels like too much. Doesn't freeze or melt, so it works anywhere.

Every single one of those requirements came directly from the people who would use it. I didn't design Phoenix Bars in a lab. I designed them in conversation.

Phoenix Bars launched in April 2024, shaped entirely by those conversations.

Today, people rely on Phoenix Bars for some of the most demanding situations imaginable:

The world's toughest ultra-marathons, including the Marathon des Sables — a 250km race across the Sahara Desert where runners carry everything they eat for the week. Over 50 MDS athletes have fuelled their race with Phoenix Bars.

Extreme expeditions, from teams rowing the Atlantic to climbers heading to Everest. When you're carrying everything on your back, calorie density per gram isn't a nice-to-have — it's survival.

And people navigating some of the hardest moments of their lives. From chemotherapy to eating disorder recovery to simply getting enough nutrition in older age. These are the customers who remind me every day why this company exists.

This is still a very new company.

I personally pack and post every order. I read every email. I reply to every message. Every bar is made in the UK by a SALSA-certified manufacturer using natural ingredients.

Phoenix Bars has a 5.0 out of 5 star rating from 335 verified reviews. Not because the product is perfect — but because it was built by listening to the people who use it, and that never stops.

The goal hasn't changed.

To build the number one specialist product for people who need to maximise their calorie intake when the environment or their own circumstances make eating difficult.

If you've found your way here, there's a good chance you're one of those people — or you know someone who is.

If you have any questions, need advice on how Phoenix Bars might work for your situation, or just want to talk, I'm here.

James Frost

Founder,

Flaming Phoenix 

jfrost@flaming-phoenix.co.uk 

07990 519422