1. Industries & Practices

Beverage & Food

Speak with an Attorney Subscribe to Insights

The beverage and food industry sits at the intersection of regulation, brand value, and transaction activity, requiring coordinated legal guidance across evolving operational and market demands.

Overview

The beverage and food industry continues to evolve in response to shifting consumer preferences, regulatory scrutiny, and global market dynamics. Businesses in this space must address a wide range of legal considerations, from compliance obligations to strategic transactions, often across multiple jurisdictions.

Against this backdrop, legal counsel plays a critical role in helping organizations assess risk, adapt to industry developments, and support long-term business objectives.

Our Focus

ArentFox Schiff’s Beverage & Food team brings together attorneys, regulatory advisors, and scientists who work with companies operating throughout the industry, including manufacturers, distributors, developers, and retailers. Matters frequently involve corporate transactions, regulatory frameworks, and intellectual property considerations, often requiring coordination across disciplines.

Working with clients, the team addresses issues that arise across the business lifecycle—from formation and financing through expansion, compliance, and dispute resolution—while accounting for the regulatory and commercial environments in which these companies operate. 

What Do We Do?

  • Advise on alcohol beverage regulatory compliance, including federal, state, and local requirements
  • Support corporate structuring, governance, and entity formation decisions
  • Counsel on debt and equity financing transactions
  • Address employment-related legal considerations
  • Structure joint ventures, partnerships, and strategic alliances  
  • Provide guidance on federal and state regulatory matters
  • Advise on intellectual property and brand management issues
  • Counsel on international trade considerations including import / export requirements, customs, and cross-border distribution  
  • Represent clients in litigation matters
  • Support mergers and acquisitions involving beverage and food businesses
  • Advise on marketing campaigns, influencer promotions, and labeling claims   

Who Do We Help?

  • Alcohol beverage distillers and manufacturers
  • Alcohol beverage distributors
  • Multinational airport concessionaires
  • Soft drink and energy drink brands
  • Celebrity chef brands, including ventures in hotels worldwide
  • Food and snack manufacturers
  • Non-alcoholic beverage manufacturers
  • Multinational confectionery brands
  • Regional, national, and multinational restaurant companies
  • Private equity firms

How Can We Help?

Organizations in the beverage and food industry may require legal guidance when navigating regulatory requirements, pursuing financing or acquisition opportunities, managing intellectual property, addressing employment obligations, or responding to disputes or enforcement exposure.  

Our Experience

ArentFox Schiff has worked with a range of participants in the beverage and food sector, including manufacturers, distributors, and brand developers, on matters spanning regulatory compliance, transactions, and commercial operations. The team’s work reflects the intersection of legal requirements and business considerations that shape decision-making in this industry. 

Key Contacts

View Our Attorneys

FAQs

What types of legal issues do beverage and food companies commonly face?

Companies in the beverage and food industry often address regulatory compliance, intellectual property protection, employment obligations, and transactional matters such as financings, partnerships, and acquisitions, many of which involve overlapping federal, state, and international considerations.

How does alcohol beverage regulation differ from other food and beverage compliance requirements?

Alcohol beverage regulation involves a distinct framework of federal, state, and local laws governing production, distribution, and sales, which may differ significantly from broader FDA-related food and beverage regulatory requirements.

When should beverage and food companies seek legal guidance during a transaction?

Legal considerations may arise at multiple stages of a transaction, including structuring, due diligence, regulatory approvals, and post-closing integration, depending on the nature and scope of the deal.

What role does intellectual property play in the beverage and food industry?

Intellectual property considerations may include brand protection, trademarks, product naming, and packaging, which can be central to how companies differentiate themselves and manage risk in competitive markets.