Helston-based organic childrenswear company, Frugi, are celebrating this week after it was announced that they have been selected to receive a grant from the Convergence European Regional Development Fund, worth nearly £50,000.

The funding is part of the Cornwall Development Company’s ‘Business Investment for Growth’ (B.I.G.) scheme and will go towards a major upgrade of Frugi’s website and computer software systems.

The purpose of the BIG scheme is to improve the competitive advantage of high growth Cornish Small & Medium Enterprises (SME’s), leading to 400 skilled jobs being created. It is aimed at high value add businesses with a strong track record of performance, operating in national/international growth markets with innovative and competitive products and services.

Kurt Jewson, “Our current systems are like wearing shades indoors”

The grant will go towards a major overhaul of Frugi’s website and back-end system software, to enable it to keep pace with their continued growth.

Kurt Jewson, from Frugi, commented “Our current systems are great, but are now struggling to cope with our increasing demands. It’s sort of like wearing shades indoors. You can function, and get things done, but if you take them off everything becomes much clearer.”

Brent Treloar, from the Cornwall Development Company, remarked, “Frugi are a prime example of a fantastic and dynamic Cornish company doing great things, both here and abroad. It’s great for Cornwall that they have received this grant.”

Frugi has been a pioneer in the development of ethically manufactured, organic clothing since 2004. They sell their range of organic cotton clothing into over 500 retailers across 53 countries and via their website www.welovefrugi.com and their shop in Helston.