When Ferrari  stormed the Formula 1 World Championships in 2000 before downforcing the title yet again in 2004, little did a family-run Pembrokeshire company think that it, too, was on the cusp of international recognition.

But thanks to the custom-designed cooling jackets worn by Schumaker and his Ferrari teammates Rubens Barrickello and Jenson Button, Treffgarne’s ‘Frio UK Ltd’ began its own incredible journey to success.

This week the company received the highly prestigious business accolade – The King’s Award for International Trade – at a ceremony held on its site at Little Treffgarne, near Haverfordwest.

“This is something we never thought would happen to a small company here in West Wales,” said Frio’s managing director, Chris Wolsey.

The company was established by Chris’s parents, the late Garnet and Althea Worsley, who were dairy farmers at Whiteleys in Little Treffgarne.

“My father was always very innovative, coming up with all sorts of ideas, some of which were crazy and some of which were good,” explains Chris.

“My father had been researching his family tree with the result that some of our family members living in Canada came over for a visit.  While they were here, they explained that they were making cooling bands to help keep people cool.”

Garnet was intrigued by the idea, and wasted no time in networking the UK market to see whether there was sufficient interest to make the idea work.

Chris’s sister, Helen, used the band when she competed in the 1991 World Powerlifting Championships in New Delhi and seven years later they were used by the British Olympic and Paralympic teams in Atlanta.

But it was when a family friend mentioned the problems she was having keeping her insulin cool during long journeys abroad that the Worsleys realised they were definitely onto a winner.

“The best inventions are often the simplest, and this is certainly the case with Frio as it requires no batteries and depends only on water,” explained Chris.

The Frio wallets work through evaporation, ensuring the contents are kept cool and safe.  Each pouch consists of an inner wallet which contains crystals that activate when immersed in water, expanding into a gel.  When the gel begins to evaporate it immediately emits a cooling effect on the medication that’s housed in the wallet.  It is reactivated by placing it in water again.

Frio – which is the Spanish word for ‘cool’ –  will keep in-use insulin and other temperature sensitive medications within safe temperatures of between 18 and 26 degrees centigrade for a minimum of 45 hours.

“When my parents first started the business there was a lot of experimental work being carried out on the kitchen table with scissors flashing all over the place and lots of material being cut and sewn,” said Chris.

“We must have gone through hundreds of versions before deciding on the wallet which is the one that we know today.”

It was during a visit to Lloyd’s Pharmacy that Frio picked up a massive order for 24,000 units, with fulfilment required in just eight weeks.  So the family went into full-scale operation, installing 40-foot Portakabins on the farm and employing a team of local machinists to meet the order.

The company continued to grow as more and more people with diabetes learned how important Frio is in hot weather, while exports continued to increase to mainland Europe, with strong markets in Germany, Holland and Switzerland.  Since then, the company has spread into the United States of America, Canada and the Middle East.  Today the company exports to a total of 72 countries worldwide.

“Innovation has always been at the forefront of everything we’ve done, and we really try to keep on top of what’s needed,” concluded Chris.  “Over the last 30 years we’ve helped millions and millions of people all over the world, and to achieve this from this small farm in west Wales is something that our entire team should feel very proud of.”

His comments were endorsed by His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Dyfed, Sara Edwards, who presented Chris with the award on Tuesday afternoon, on behalf of King Charles.

“This is the most prestigious award that can be awarded in the UK and I know His Majesty will feel extremely proud to learn that you are achieving so much here in the heart of deepest Pembrokeshire,” she said.