About Us
William Reed Business Media has been providing market leading business information for 150 years. The markets we serve are central to everyone’s life. They include food and drink, where our activities extend across manufacturing, retail, wholesale and hospitality, and, more recently, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
Guided by our Company values, we are committed to providing the information and insights our customers demand.
Click here to browse our 150th Anniversary Brochure
Our history
- Since 1862, when the first issue of The Grocer magazine rolled off the printing presses, ours has been the authoritative voice of the UK grocery industry. Today, with the fifth generation of the Reed family running the company, we have an expanding portfolio of websites, newsletters, magazines, face-to-face and virtual events, exhibitions, conferences, data services and directories, across an international footprint
The Group has moved with the times and invested significantly in developing and improving brands and products. A number of successful strategic acquisitions throughout William Reed’s history have also boosted growth.
The future promises exciting opportunities, with more investment in people and product development, greater deployment of new technologies and the prospect of further acquisitions.
Below are some of the milestones from the first 150 years of the William Reed Business Media story.
Alternatively you can click here to browse our 150th Anniversary Brochure online.
21st Century
- 2011
- Having been a substantial minority investor, with Board representation, since March 2008, WRBM acquire the remaining balance of the him! business in September 2011. him! is a research-based retail consultancy, working with over 100 blue-chip organisations in the retail, wholesale, on-trade and foodservice. him! operates syndicated multi-client customer tracking programmes in a variety of sectors, from convenience to high street, forecourts to pubs and bars, pharmacies to coffee chains. him! continues to operate as a seperate entity.
- We acquire The Publican print magazine, its associated websites and events, together with Theme and Bar Show brands; we merge The Publican with our existing title, the Morning Advertiser, to create The Publican's Morning Advertiser.
- Decision News Media SAS, based in Montpellier, is renamed William Reed Business Media SAS.
- 2009
- We acquire Decision News Media SAS – publisher of FoodNavigator.com and 16 other websites serving the food, drink, nutrition, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries – to support the expansion of William Reed Business Media’s online brands.
- We launch The Food & Drink Logistics Show for 2010, to run alongside Foodex, Baking Industry Exhibition, Food & Drink Expo, Convenience Retail Show, Cafe+, the Off Licence Show and the International Forecourt & Fuel Equipment show at Birmingham's NEC in March.
- We launch William Reed E-Learning - our online learning division.
- ProWholesaler is relaunched as Wholesale News.
- 2008
- We acquire Harpers, including the Harpers Directory and website. The magazine is merged with our existing Wine and Spirit title and re-launched as Harpers Wine & Spirit Trades Review.
- We change our name from William Reed Publishing to William Reed Business Media, as we grow our online portfolio with the launch of: TheRightInfo.co.uk - BigHospitality.co.uk
- We also redesign British Baker and the Morning Advertiser and start publishing The Subpostmaster (on behalf of the National Federation of SubPostmasters).
- 2007
- We launch 2 websites: Convenience-Store.co.uk and BakeryInfo.co.uk
- We expand our range of magazines with the acquisition of Food Ingredients, Health and Nutrition (subsequently incorporated in Food Manufacture).
- We launch Baking Industry Exhibition.
- 2006
- We add MeatInfo.co.uk and MorningAdvertiser.co.uk to our growing portfolio of websites and start publishing Wine & Spirit.
- 2005
- We extend our portfolio of products significantly by buying: Foodex Meatex, British Baker, Meat Trades Journal, The Restaurant Show, Restaurant Magazine, International Wine Challenge (IWC), Frontier (subsequently sold), Drinks International (under licence to Agile Media Ltd)
- Food Manufacture is named Business Magazine of the Year by the PPA.
- We also start publishing Pro Wholesaler (on behalf of the Federation of Wholesale Distributors), and launch ForecourtTrader.co.uk.
- 2004
- We expand into conferences while also growing our magazine base with the launch of Scottish Local Retailer (under licence to 55 North Ltd).
- 2002
- We are accredited as Investors in People.
- We also launch the online version of The Grocer –TheGrocer.co.uk.
- 2001
- We launch The Grocer Today email news service.
- 2000
- We trial GrocerTV, a television channel on Sky Digital aimed at independent retailers, covering news, prices, deals and other issues.
- We buy: The Morning Advertiser, Food Manufacture
- WR Exhibitions acquires: Food & Drink Expo, Convenience Retailing Show (CRS), International Forecourt & Fuel Equipment Show (IFFE)
1990's
- 1999
- We launch GrocerJobs online and redesign Off Licence News.
- 1998
- The Grocer is named Business Journal of the Year by the PPA, the association of UK magazine and periodical publishers.
- We launch The Knowledge Store – our database marketing and data management division.
- 1996
- Forecourt News is incorporated into Forecourt Trader.
- 1991
- Monthly magazine Forecourt Trader is acquired.
- 1990
- Our directories division begins with the purchase of Food from Britain Buyers’ Guide.
1980's
- 1985
- Independent Grocery News is re-launched as Convenience Store.
- 1981
- Independent Retailer and Caterer replaces Cash and Carry News
1970's
- 1974
- We buy Cash and Carry News from Grocers Gazette.
- 1970
- The Wine and Spirit Trade Review is renamed as Off Licence News.
The Early Years
- 1954
- The Grocer Buff List is launched to provide a comprehensive listing of manufacturers' suggested retail prices for the supermarket industry. In 1976 it is renamed The Grocer Price List.
- 1935
- The Wine and Spirit Trade Review is first published as a separate title and later becomes Off Licence News, which is still published fortnightly today
The 1800's
- 1863-1870
- 5 new titles join The Grocer, including: Tobacco Trade Review, Brewers Journal 1864, Hop & Malt Trades Review (a supplement in Brewers Journal), The Oil Trade Review, The Wine Trade Review (a supplement in The Grocer) 1863
- 1862
- William Reed begins publishing The Grocer.
- 1861
- Founder William Reed launches his publishing business.
