Ethical childrenswear business Frugi, which was founded in 2004, has been bought out of administration by Refined Brands, the business which owns Celtic & Co and Turtle Doves.
The group managing director of Refined Brands is James Williams who had moved from Frugi, where he was director of eCommerce & marketing between October 2019 and May 2021, to Celtic & Co.
Frugi founder Lucy Jewson and her husband Kurt had sold their then profitable, growing business four years ago to True.Capital for personal reasons. Since the sale, the Cornwall-based business has had four CEOs and built up significant debts which brought it down. Jewson, who resigned as a director in 2020, spent four months this year in a voluntary capacity trying to support a turnaround and has expressed her sorrow at its collapse.
It is her hope that the new owners, also based in Cornwall, will save jobs as well as get the Frugi brand back on track.
Jeni Bolton, Frugi’s head of design & brand commented: “Today our wonderful brand fell into administration. We have been lovingly resuced by Refind Brands, the parent company of fellow Cornwall-based ethical brand Celtic & Co. We are joining a family of pioneering brands with aligned values and a shared vision for a more sutainable approach to product and business. Our mission remains clear to bring colourful joy and comfort to our customers in a considered and trusted way.”
James Williams said: “I’m delighted to be able to secure the future of this pioneering ethical childrenswear brand and save a significant number of jobs in Cornwall. We’re delighted that Frugi are joining our brand family. We have long been fans of the Frugi brand and find their strong ethical and sustainable brand values resonate strongly with our own.”
Frugi’s head office and operations team will relocate to Celtic & Co’s base at Indian Queens.
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