Gift Focus - Mar/Apr 2018 (Issue 106)

trade partners. Its whole purpose is to support our retailers, giving us a test bed to try out new ideas, of which the successful ones will roll out to our retailers. We want to be able to understand the challenges they face to then offer them tried and tested solutions. Please describe your product offering. We make award-winning organic clothes, accessories, toys and bedding for newborn babies right through to kids from ages two to 10 years. We also have a maternity and breastfeeding range for mums. Our cotton is GOTS and Soil Association certified and we use recycled materials wherever possible too. Organic cotton is supremely soft so it’s perfect for little one’s delicate skin. It’s also much kinder to the planet and better for the farmers who grow it. Happy kids, happy farmers, happy planet! Do you only stock Frugi or will you consider stocking any other non-Frugi items in the future? We only stock Frugi. I understand there are plans to expand your gift line for A/W 2018 – please tell us more! Frugi is an inherently a giftable brand. My First Frugi, which launched in December 2017, is perfect for gifting new parents and little ones – think super soft snuggly blankets, cosy four- piece gift sets and dinky hats. For A/W 2018 we have new accessories in the form of new kid’s bags, funky bobble hats and cosy onesies. We are also extending our line of items which can be personalised following customer feedback that they want more of this. I understand Frugi has strong ethical values, why is this so important? Frugi exists to prove that being green and ethical makes for a great profitable business – we’ve been proving this for 14 years and have no plans to stop. We’re proud to be proving that you don’t have to make compromises in ethics to be successful. Do you do much on social network sites, and if so how do you use them? We’re a truly social brand – social media is at the heart of our brand and marketing plan. It’s fuelled our continued growth and is the most effective way for us to reach new customers. Facebook is a key platform for us as it’s where most of our customers are interacting. Which trade shows do you attend and why? This year we’ve been at Kids Now, Pitti, Innatex, Dot To Dot London, Supreme, Kindermoden and INDX. These shows are a fantastic way for us to meet new and existing customers and to showcase our new seasonal collections. How do you choose what to stock with so much choice out there? We always want to be the brand that our customers want us to be, so although we have a team of incredibly talented original designers, we spend a lot of time talking to, and consulting with, our customers. They’re a wonderfully opinionated bunch and they keep us on the right path! Has the current economic climate affected business? If so, in what way? Brexit and the uncertainty surrounding it is something all business are having to face; however, we’re still predicting to grow 25 per cent this year. If the product and propositions are right, customers will spend, so we focus on creating products that are extraordinary. We also go that extra mile in providing excellent customer service which sets us apart. We’re seeing steady and sustained growth in Europe with Germany driving the biggest growth. The value of sterling gives us an advantage here. What does the future hold for Frugi? The future is certainly bright for Frugi! Continued international expansion is on our agenda, we have just launched in Australia, which we’re so proud of. We’ll continue to listen to our customers (both retailers and consumer) to guide how the brand and our range evolves as they are central to what we do. For example, we’ve just launched our iconic Frugi fabric by-the-metre, which is something our customers asked us for. You’ll have to wait to see the rest! Address: Frugi, Hornsby House, Wheal Vrose Business Park, Helston, Cornwall, TR13 0FG welovefrugi.com giftfocus 85 retailer interview