A chef from Fraddon has landed a deal with home delivery company Ocado to sell the fruit bars that she developed and launched in Cornwall last year.

Davina Whiteoak has said the contract, along with a new deal secured with national wholesalers, will mean her Get Fruity bars will get much higher nationwide.

Davina, who has 15 years’ experience in food development for companies such as Del Monte and Oscar Mayer, said: “Get Fruity launched last year and our progress is phenomenal as we are getting traction with regional and national delis, cafes and attractions. Our main customer in Cornwall is the Eden Project where we are sold in the children’s lunch box and their retail shops.

"Rick Stein has also tried our bars and he loved them so much we are listed in his deli. We have sold 140,000 bars since we started production in February and we have investment in place to grow the business.”

Davina was originally supported with the development of the company by two graduates employed via Unlocking Potential, which  receives ESF (European Social Fund) Convergence investment to help graduates boost their career prospects with small and medium sized businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.  A Combined Universities in Cornwall scheme managed by Cornwall College, it places graduates with businesses in Cornwall to undertake specific projects and offers support including valuable expert mentoring.

Mark Yeoman, head of ESF Convergence communication, said: “The graduates, supported by Unlocking Potential, were able to contribute to the early stages of Get Fruity’s rapid growth. The new Ocado contract is a massive feather in their cap and confirms how popular these bars have become. I wish the company continued success in the global market.”

Get Fruity also exhibited at Cornwall Food and Drink Festival. Davina said: “The best thing about the festival was that most people who tried the bars then bought them. It was also great to conduct market research from people who are customers. The main points I picked up is that people loved the colours, and the strong fruit flavours. I was surprised how many people wanted to read the ingredients, nutritional information and they knew about the benefits of coconut oil.”