A cake company which was sold for £32 million this summer was a double winner at the Sussex Business Awards last night.

Kate's Cakes, in London Road, Ashington, near Horsham, won company of the year and boss Steve Greenhalgh was named business person of the year.

More than 500 people attended the awards bash at Effingham Park, near Gatwick, which was hosted by Southern FM's Danny Pike and Nicky Keig-Shevlin.

Another company to bag a brace of awards was Lancingbased Parafix Tapes and Conversion, which won manufacture of the year and the learning pays awards.

Other titles went to bottled water company Life Pure Water, which won best new business; Chichester College, which scooped the international business award; Brighton restaurant Due South, which won the sustainable business award; and Worthing-based MGM Assurance, winner of the customer service award.

More than 100 companies entered and judges drew up a short list of 26.

In August, Kate's Cakes was sold to Amsterdam-based food and ingredients supplier CSM in a deal which will help the company expand into Europe.

Since its formation in 1989, it has achieved remarkable growth - 35 per cent year on year between 2000 and 2005 - and attracted major customers.

It now sells a range of branded and unbranded muffins, flapjacks, brownies and cake slices to the likes of Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Starbucks and Caffé Nero.

It is the second time Kate's Cakes has been named company of the year at the Sussex Business Awards. It won the same award two years ago.

Managing director Mr Greenhalgh said: "Taking part has been an exciting experience.

It's great to receive such public recognition of our achievements from the Sussex business community."

Branded as the "networking event of the year", the awards, organised by PR company the Priory Partnership, began with a champagne reception and entertainment from fire-eaters and mime acts.

The winners of Sussex Business Awards 2007-08:


Sussex company of the year sponsored by Deloitte

  • Winner: Kate's Cakes, Ashington
  • Finalists: MGM Assurance, Worthing, and Travel Places, Worthing

    Sussex business person of the year sponsored by Southern FM
  • Winner: Steve Greenhalgh (Kate's Cakes), Pulborough
  • Finalists: Lynette Baldwin (Baldwin Training Centre), Eastbourne; Charita Jones (Momma Cherri), Brighton; and Dave Reynolds (Satellite Direct UK), Arundel

    Best new business award sponsored by The Argus
  • Winner: Life Pure Water, Brighton
  • Finalists: Alliantist, Brighton, and Kineo, Worthing

    Entrepreneur of the year: sponsored by Business Link
  • Winner: Darren Fell (Pure360.com), Brighton
  • Finalists: Simon Konecki (Life Pure Water), Brighton, and Ian Lucas (Redseven)

    Brighton International business award sponsored by HSBC
  • Winner: Chichester College
  • Finalists: Hydro Dynamic Products, Shoreham, and Welland Medical, Crawley

    Small business award sponsored by EDF Energy
  • Winner: Bagelman, Brighton
  • Finalists: Academy Internet, Brighton; Pegasus PR, Worthing; and Westways Vending, Hailsham

    Manufacturer of the year sponsored by Edwards
  • Winner: Parafix Tapes and Conversions, Lancing
  • Finalists: Brighton Sheet Metal, Brighton, and Drallim, St Leonards

    University enterprise award sponsored by University of Brighton (this award is open to businesses outside Sussex)
  • Winner: Mast Carbon International, Guildford
  • Finalists: Brighton and Hove Business Community Partnership, Brighton, and Kate's Cakes, Ashington

    Learning pays! Sponsored by Learning and Skills Council Sussex
  • Winner: Parafix Tapes and Conversions, Lancing
  • Finalists: Midnight Communications, Brighton, and Sussex Sign Company, Newhaven

    Customer service award sponsored by Southern
  • Winner: MGM Assurance, Worthing
  • Finalists: Burgess Hill Town Council, Burgess Hill, and Mayo Wynne Baxter, Lewes

    Innovation in business sponsored by Spaceover
  • Winner: Close Invoice Finance, Hove
  • Finalists: Auto-online, Falmer, and Scarecrow Bio Acoustic Systems, Uckfield

    Sustainable business award sponsored by Veolia Environmental Services
  • Winner: Due South, Brighton
  • Finalists: Old Chapel Forge, near Chichester, and Sussex And The City, Brighton