A SOUTH coast printer is tasting success literally after securing the contract to print the award-winning Waitrose Food Illustrated magazine.

The first issue, datelined July 2006 and with a print run of 320,000 copies, rolled off Southernprint's presses this week.

Waitrose Food Illustrated has a £2.20 cover price but is free to Waitrose, John Lewis and Partnership cardholders. It has won 16 major awards during the last six years including Customer Magazine of the Year and Retail's Most Effective Consumer Publication.

The addition of Waitrose Food Illustrated means that Southernprint now handles three magazines for John Brown Citrus Publishing.

It also prints the bi-monthly Teachers magazine, with separate editions for primary and secondary teachers and a total print run of 300,000, and Virgin Atlantic's inflight shopping catalogue, Retail Therapy, with a 125,000 print run.

Matthew Jolly, production director at John Brown Citrus Publishing, said: "It was a difficult decision to change supplier but, ultimately, we were impressed by Southern-print's customer-focused attitude and their portfolio of powerful modern presses."

Ross Borton, Southernprint's sales director, said: "We're delighted to have secured the printing of such a prestigious and high quality magazine."

Southern-print, an arm of Daily Echo publishing giant Newsquest, employs 350 staff at Poole, Dorset, and has an annual turnover of £36m.