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Food & Beverage

Much’s food and beverage clients include many household names that consumers know and love. From barkTHINS to Skinny Pop, Barilla Pasta to Vita Foods and more, consumers are hungry for innovation – and we help our clients deliver.

Food and beverage companies depend on Much for advice on most aspects of their operations, including helping them stay on the cutting edge of food creation. We are there with them at the startup or venture stage, then see them through their corporate and financing transactions and counsel them on real estate, labor and employment, or insurance matters.

And when they experience issues or disputes pertaining to compliance, food and premises safety, supply chain disruptions, or marketing and labeling issues, we are our clients’ first call. The collaborative relationships we build help us to formulate stronger strategies, tackling each client issue in the valuable context of the whole business.

A firm with the right service mix for every aspect of your food or beverage business.

Most of our client relationships extend far beyond one individual transaction or dispute. Over time, our goal is to know what your production floor looks like or the name of your lead food scientist – and certainly, all that matters most to you. We have clients ranging from science-based startups to wholesalers to internationally known food and beverage brands that have worked closely with attorneys in nearly every service area at Much.

We provide experienced counsel in the following areas of food and beverage law:

  • Transactional: We assist with all corporate aspects of running your company, from startup structure, to financing, to corporate governance, shareholder and securities issues, ongoing compliance and regulation, and mergers and acquisitions.
  • Class action defense: We manage the problems – limiting liability while being mindful of your business objectives.
  • Environmental issues: If the creation or manufacture of your product creates any negative environmental impact, our environmental attorneys know how to help you with all aspects of your response, from clean-up to follow-up.
  • Food safety: You do everything you can to prevent safety issues, but with four main types of contamination – chemical, microbial, physical, and allergenic – accidents can happen. The Much team is experienced to guide you through every aspect of your crisis response and recovery.
  • Insurance: Our insurance attorneys are veterans when it comes to assisting policyholders on the claim side and during litigation after a denial of coverage.
  • Intellectual property and licensing: You don’t only have one or more products – you have brands. Whether in day-to-day operations, or special occasions such as collaborations with restaurants or celebrity chefs, we ensure that your intangible intellectual property tangibly works for your benefit.
  • Labor and employment: From employee policies, to wage and hour issues, to discipline and termination, your Much team is here to ensure your workplace is productive and functional.
  • Litigation: We assist clients with all stages of the dispute resolution process, from negotiation, to arbitration and mediation, to trial, including class action defense.
  • Logistics and supply chain issues: Even without the stress of COVID-19 compounding them, issues in this space abound. Let Much help protect you – both in terms of your contracts and in the event any delays and disputes arise.
  • Marketing and labeling issues: Your Much team can ensure you stay in compliance with all rules and regulations pertaining to the advertising and promotion of your products.
  • Real estate and construction: Whether you are leasing corporate offices, building a future multistar restaurant, or constructing a plant to manufacture your product, you need experienced counsel to negotiate your terms and watch out for your interests.

Trending & Horizon Issues

Give your Much Food & Beverage attorneys a call to discuss what’s in store:

  • Lingering logistics issues: Food and beverage companies have been hit hard by global supply chain troubles, and the repercussions are expected to cause a ripple effect for some time. If you are experiencing any related contract or vendor issues or disputes, we can help.
  • The promise/problem of “fake” food: In the face of expected future food shortages with climate, conflict, and other causes, genetically modified and new food products such as fake meat and plant-based milks are taking the industry by storm. At the same time, legal questions are being raised as to “when a burger is not really a burger” and therefore possibly cannot be marketed as such. Wherever you fall on the “real” or “fake” food product spectrum, we can help you navigate all of the potential legal risks and questions as well as the business opportunities.
  • A rose by any other name could make you liable: Labeling claims pertaining to descriptions such as “all natural,” “no preservatives,” “real,” or other claims du jour will continue to confound food and beverage companies. Sometimes legitimate, they are also sometimes used as a tactic to slow down the competition. Before you give the marketplace a list of your attributes, reach out to our experienced legal counsel.

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