Government Food and Farm minister Lord Whitty has visited the Crawley office of the food industry publisher William Reed.
He was a guest of Clive Beddall, the editor of the William Reed flagship title The Grocer. The town's MP, Laura Moffatt, was also invited by the company.
William Reed was founded in 1862, when The Grocer was launched to give the latest news and analysis of the trade. It moved to Broadfield Park, Crawley in 1992 and is now an important employer in the town, with a workforce of more than 220.
The company also publishes Off Licence News, Food Manufacture and Convenience Store.
The firm is a leading organiser of trade events, including Food and Drink Expo.
Managing director Charles Reed said Lord Whitty showed a keen interest in the technological advances the firm had made in recent years.
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