Success For Sussex Food Businesses

350 Sussex food and drink businesses entered the competition, with 11,000 people voting for their favourite.

Winners included Paul Peach, 24, who received the title of Sussex Young Chef of the Year and High Weald Dairy, which won Sussex Food Producer of the Year.

Clive Beddall OBE, chairman of the judges at the event, said, “Research shows that, despite economic downturn, demand for locally-sourced food has actually accelerated during the past 12 months and more than half the country’s shoppers now say they are prepared to pay extra for local food.

“The Sussex Food and Drink Awards celebrate the exceptional standards of quality and innovation that have taken the country’s producers into the top half of the UK’s Premier League for locally-produced food and drink,” he added.

Paula Seager, managing director of Natural PR, which ran the awards, commented, “Tonight has been a wonderful celebration and we are so proud that these awards have played a part in building the reputation of Sussex as one of the best food destinations in the country. It is home to some of the most creative and exciting producers of exquisite food and drink.”