Simply Cornish looks to Spain

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2015

An all-Cornish venture promoting the best of the county’s produce is set to enter the export market as well as expanding its local presence with the opening of its second retail outlet within six months.

Tina Seymour and Gary Lambourne
Tina Seymour and Gary Lambourne

The latest expansion for Redruth-based Simply Cornish Hampers (SCH), with two new jobs, follows the return home of Gary Lambourne, younger brother of managing director Tina Seymour.

Lambourne has joined the specialist hamper business as a fellow director and a key early objective for him is to tap into mainland Europe markets, starting with his many contacts in the expat community in Spain.  

He will also be sourcing additions to the company’s product range, which has already grown to 150 from 24 Cornish suppliers and now includes the option of arrangement in a special St Piran’s hamper.

The new local shop is at Cornish Market World, St Austell, where the new jobs have been created, and this follows the opening of the company’s first such outlet last November at Treasure Park, Redruth.  

“Until now we haven’t targeted any foreign markets at all,” said Seymour, “but we’ve still had lots of orders from overseas, including Dubai, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore, for sending to friends and relatives at UK locations.  We believe there is enormous hidden potential for export.

“Gary has returned to his native Cornwall from Newcastle after 19 years in the oil and gas industry and previously nine years in the Royal Navy.

“He is every bit as passionate about Cornwall as I am.  SCH has got off to a great start and Gary shares my view that it is simply bursting with potential for further growth.  As well as mainstream sales activity, he will also be exploring possible involvement with schools for promotion of the keep-it-Cornish principle.”

SCH was launched in 2005 as an internet-based business.  Within a year, encouraged by the success of its mail order business promoting Cornwall far and wide, the company reinvested in a new sales counter for use by members of the public on Redruth’s Treleigh Industrial Estate. Sustained increase in demand led to the Treasure Park move.

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