Leading Individuals

Firms To Watch: Industry focus: Food

Led by corporate and M&A partner Pablo González Mosqueira, the food department at Pérez-Llorca advises a range of domestic and multinational clients, with strength in dispute resolution as well as real estate, public and regulatory, employment and corporate law.

Industry focus: Food in Spain

Cuatrecasas

Cuatrecasas fields a strong team of lawyers specialised in Spanish and EU food law, offering advice to large international and domestic food and beverage companies on a spread of matters, from production and branding rights to transportation and advertising issues. Its broad service covers corporate, regulatory, competition issues as well as litigation and IP. Focused on IP, data protection and new technologies, Alejandro Negro handles a mix of advisory work, contractual matters and litigation for major food companies.

Autres avocats clés:

Alejandro Negro


Principaux clients

Pernod Ricard


Eckes Granini


Agrolimen


M. Lagares, La Sarteneja


Jealsa Rianxeira


Biotech Foods


Costa Food


Angulas Aguinaga


Salsas De Salteras


Heineken


Interfilm


Grupo Linamar


Q-impact, Seaya Ventures, Triodos Impact Strategies


Atlantinc Blue


Compañía Vinicola Del Norte De España (Cvne)


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Brown-Forman on the acquisitions of Diplomático Rum and Gin Mare.
  • Advised Eckes Granini advertising issues applicable to consumer products.
  • Advised Compañía Vinícola del Norte (CVNE) on acquiring a winery with the Rías Baixas designation of origin.

Garrigues

A variety of clients, ranging from large national food conglomerates and cooperatives, to associations and investors, turn to Garrigues‘very solid and very well-coordinated team’ for its in-depth knowledge of the food industry and 'the world of agriculture in Spain'. The team is particularly skilled at handling M&A deals for national and international PE funds looking to invest in the domestic food sector. Murcia-based Miguel Ángel López Mateo, a key contact for several international funds focused on the food and agribusiness spaces, oversees the department with Jose Ramón Tenor Peñafiel in Sevilla, the latter of whom is trusted by several industry associations.

Responsables de la pratique:

Miguel Ángel López Mateo; Jose Ramón Tenor Peñafiel


Autres avocats clés:

Lorena Colomer


Les références

‘A very solid and very well-coordinated team. The availability of the team is constant. They act quickly and respond to queries and questions raised almost in real time.’

‘Great availability and empathy from professionals. Very imaginative when it comes to analysing and solving the questions that arise. Great knowledge of the commercial field and the food world and business.’

‘A multidisciplinary and coordinated team, which provides joint legal solutions to the members of our organisation.’

Principaux clients

Carrefour


Central Lechera Asturiana (CAPSA)


El Pozo Alimentación


Mercadona


AMC Natural Drinks


Ybarra Alimentación


Costco Wholesale


Danone


Agrupapulpí


Pernod Ricard


Virto Frozen Foods


Sunridge Partners


Platano de Canarias (ASPROCAN)


Covirán


Mondelez


Marie Brizard


Kellogg España


Ebro Foods


Virú


Estrella de Galicia (Hijos de Rivera)


Eurobanan (Total Produce)


Findus


De Prado


Pan Star


Pago de Carrovejas


COREN (Cooperativas Orensanas)


ACOR


Bonnysa


Supermercados El Árbol


G’s Group


Lactalis-Forlasa


Grupo Mahou-San Miguel


Grefusa


Moyca Grapes


Grupo El Ciruelo


La Unión


DAT-Schaub Gallent


Friselva


Nueva Pescanova


Argal


FEPEX


Complejo Agrícola Las Lomas


Nuveen Natural Capital


Conxemar


Principaux dossiers


  • Assisted Magnum with the sale of a majority position in Greentastic (Agrupa Lettuce or Agrupa Group) to Solum Partners.
  • Advised Fremman and The Natural Fruit Company on the acquisition of Bollo International Fruits, and Privilege Fruits.
  • Advised on the acquisition by ProA Capital private equity fund of Agricola Villena, a vegetable packing and selling company based in Alicante.

Gómez-Acebo & Pombo

The team at Gómez-Acebo & Pombo is regularly called upon to assist food and beverage clients with a multitude of non-contentious and contentious matters. Noted for its 'great expertise and experience in the sector', the firm is equipped to handle a mix of M&A, compliance issues, product liability claims and matters related to food chain law, labelling and recalls. Leadership of the group is shared between José Luis Palma, whose strong background in administrative law makes him a go-to choice for advice on food regulations, health claims and animal welfare, and Mónica Weimann, who undertakes a blend of work relating to product advertising, labelling, and acquisitions. IP specialist Sofía Martínez-Almeida is noted for her extensive experience in labelling and advertising matters.

Responsables de la pratique:

Mónica Weimann; José Luis Palma


Autres avocats clés:

Sofía Martínez-Almeida; Jesús Muñoz-Delgado; Mónica Esteve; Yago Fernández Darna


Les références

‘Great expertise and experience in the sector.’

Principaux clients

Coca-Cola European Partners


Ferrero Iberica


Galletas Gullón, S.A.


Grupo Kaiku Corporación Alimentaria, S.A.


Makro/Metro Group AG


Mercadona S.A.


Nestlé España, S.L.


Red Bull GmbH


LIDL Supermercados, S.A.U.


Interporc


Nutreco Iberia, S.L.


Jacobs Douwe Egberts, N.V.


Grupo Sanlucar


Fall Creek Farm & Nursery Inc


Asociación Interprofesional del Porcino de Capa Blanca (INTERPORC)


Organización Interprofesional del Vino de España (OIVE)


Organización Interprofesional de la Carne de Vacuno (PROVACUNO)


Organización Interprofesional para el Impulso del Sector Cunícola (INTERCUN)


Organización Interprofesional del Huevo y sus Productos (INPROVO)


Organización Interprofesional del Aceite de Orujo de Oliva (ORIVA)


Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España


Asociación Nacional de Empresas de Aceite de Orujo de Oliva (ANEO)


Asociación Nacional de Industriales Envasadores y Refinadores de Aceites Comestibles (ANIERAC)


Asociación Española de la Industria y el Comercio Exportador del Aceite de Oliva (ASOLIVA)


Principaux dossiers


  • Representing INTERPORC and PROVACUNO against Foods for Tomorrow, in an advertisement/ unfair competition litigation.
  • Advising several of the key companies in the food sector on the development of a project for the transformation of the meat-livestock chain to be financed with grants from the “Next Generation EU” programme

Uría Menéndez

Bringing together multidisciplinary expertise in transactions, contracts, regulatory issues, competition and IP rights, Uría Menéndez advises on the gamut of matters that arise within the food and beverages sectors. The team manages a busy workload where joint ventures and M&A feature alongside advertising, distribution and contentious matters. Montiano Monteagudo co-leads the group from Barcelona, attracting unfair competition and corporate mandates from domestic and multinational players. Fellow co-head Teresa Paz-Ares is based in Madrid, and advises clients in this space on regulatory, corporate and commercial issues.

Responsables de la pratique:

Montiano Monteagudo; Teresa Paz-Ares


Autres avocats clés:

Francisco Javier García


Principaux clients

Destilerías MG


Mars Group


Eden Springs


Food Delivery Brands group (formerly Telepizza)


Grupo Cerealto Siro


LACREM


Tasty Bidco


Diageo España


Campofrío


Andersen

Andersen is home to ‘a multidisciplinary team with extensive knowledge of the sector’, offering its national and international client base commercial, IP, regulatory, competition, tax and dispute resolution advice. Notes for his specialist knowledge of the Food Chain Act, José Miguel Soriano is active in litigation in the food and agribusiness sectors, while Ignacio Aparicio predominantly handles M&A transactions for food sector clients.

Responsables de la pratique:

José Miguel Soriano; Ignacio Aparicio


Les références

‘It is a multidisciplinary team with extensive knowledge of the sector.’

‘Works with representatives from the entire chain, which allows a broad vision that results in the best solutions for the client.’

‘They have great knowledge and reach in all the institutions involved – local, regional, state and European – offering added value to each matter in which they are involved.’

Principaux clients

Heineken


J. García Carrión


Imperial Tobacco


FEPEX (Federación Española de Asociaciones de Productoras Exportadoras de Frutas y Hortalizas)


Federación Española de Alimentación y Bebidas (FIAB)


Bodegas Emilio Moro


The Natural Fruit Company


Mercavalencia


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised FIAB on agri-food matters.
  • Advised Dinosol Supermercados on the new Food Chain Law.
  • Advised Foodiverse on tax matters.

Baker McKenzie

International and Spanish food manufacturers and brands routinely turn to Baker McKenzie, which fields a ‘large team of people with different skills', covering transactional, competition and IP matters. Based in Barcelona, Cristina Duch draws on her strong background in trade marks and IP litigation to assist clients from the food and beverages sector with IP rights, advertising and unfair competition issues. Juanjo Corral oversees the team in Madrid, and is the first point of contact for private equity clients engaged in M&A in this space.

Responsables de la pratique:

Cristina Duch; Juanjo Corral


Les références

‘Good teamwork. A large team of people with different skills focused on the common goal. A common objective that is always shared and the same as the client.’

‘An exceptional transmission of information to the client. Very high capacity for expression and “translation” of legal matter to the real and concrete case.’

Principaux clients

AmRest Holdings SE


Black Rifle Coffee Company (BRCC)


Celler Mas Doix


Corporación Alimentaria Peñasanta, S.A.


Distribuidora Internacional de Alimentación, S.A. (DIA)


Lidl


Miquel Alimentació


Mondelez


Unilever


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Juvia Group on the drafting and negotiation of a sublease agreement for the operation of its first restaurant in Spain in the WOW concept store building in Madrid.
  • Representing Corporación Alimentaria Peñasanta, S.A. in a claim before the National Court against the decision of the Spanish Competition Authority of July 2019 which imposed a fine of €21.8mn for information exchange and price fixing.

Bird & Bird

Bird & Bird acts for a wide range of Spanish and international clients across the food and beverages industry. Offering advice on IP, competition, data protection and transactional matters, the group is regularly retained by biotech and agriscience, manufacturers, food supply chain companies, retailers and distributors. Lourdes Ayala takes the lead on corporate and M&A work, while Antonio Cueto focuses on IP issues. IP is also a key specialism for Manuel Lobato, who possesses a strong track record in patent litigation before the Spanish courts, and Mariano Santos, who handles trade mark prosecution matters.

Responsables de la pratique:

Lourdes Ayala; Antonio Cueto; Manuel Lobato; Mariano Santos


Autres avocats clés:

Diana Sendagorta; Alberto Rodríguez


Principaux clients

Globalfeed


DZ Licores, S.L.


Programma 101


Fertinagro Biotech


Bacardi Group


Aora Health, S.L.


Costa Coffee


Foodbox


Hard Rock Limited


KRAFT HEINZ Company


KFC Restaurants Spain, S.L.


Llaollao España S.L.


Pizzaexpress (Franchises) Limited


Hormel Foods Corporation


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Fertinagro Biotech on the sale of 50% of the share capital of GlobalFeed to OCP Group, a global phosphate-based products plant and animal nutrition producer.
  • Advised Italian fund Programma 101, as lead investor, on the acquisition of a minority stake in the Spanish company Coffee is Incapto, S.L.
  • Assisting LLAOLLAO, the yoghurt ice-cream retailer, with the update of its local and international franchise agreements structure.

DLA Piper

DLA Piper is a firm favourite for food-sector clients, including manufacturers, looking for assistance with matters concerning food safety, labelling, packaging, advertising and distribution. Benefitting from the firm's full-service structure, the team is well positioned to handle corporate and M&A transactions, compliance, investigation and contentious issues. Diego Ramos leads the practice, regularly advising major food and beverages companies on IP law.

Responsables de la pratique:

Diego Ramos


Principaux clients

Nazca Capital


Little Caesar Enterprises Inc


Amundi


Soto Sake Corporation


Bacardi Iberia


Stuart Delivery, S.L


Mondelez


Nutreco Iberia, SL


El Corte Inglés


Hard Rock


Grupo Citri&Co


Hard Rock


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Grupo Citri&Co on the refinancing of its existing debt and the granting of a new financing by a syndicate of lenders.

Ramón y Cajal Abogados

Equipped with a sound ‘understanding of the specifics of the food industry’, Ramón y Cajal Abogados expertly handles matters for some of the largest national food sector clients. The team, whose expertise encompasses Spanish and EU regulations affecting the agri-food sector, is led by a capable duo: José Ignacio Vega - noted for his public law capabilities - adeptly helps distilleries and agri-food clients navigate food chain law and legislative changes; and Javier Salinas, who is well versed in competition matters. Claudia Castillo is another name to note for competition matters.

Responsables de la pratique:

José Ignacio Vega; Javier Salinas


Autres avocats clés:

Claudia Castillo; Alejandro Feria


Les références

‘Knowledge and understanding of the specifics of the food industry (concurrent regulations at a national, European and international level).’

‘José Ignacio Vega and Javier Salinas are the lawyers we work with the most. We highlight their high professional quality, availability and proximity to the client. ’

‘Javier Salinas, a great specialist in the field of food law, offers adequate advice adapted to the client’s needs.’

Principaux clients

Condis


Lamberts Española


Industrias Cárnicas Tello


Mercadona


Adevin (Libre Asociación De Destiladores Y Rectificadores De Alcoholes Y Aguardientes Vínicos)


Restalia


Alcoholera De La Puebla


Aeve (Asociación Empresarial De Vinos De España)


Schreiber


Alcoholes De Tomelloso


Witzelmann


Cesfac (Confederación Española De Fabricantes De Alimentos Compuestos Para Animales)


Sqrups


Cades Penedes


Aecoc


Borges


Agralco


Aene (Asociación Española De Fabricantes Y Distribuidores De Productos De Nutrición Enteral)


Lidl


Makro


Andi (Asociación Nacional De Fabricantes De Productos De Dietética Infantil)


Almendras F Morales


J. García Carrión


Asedas (Asociación Española De Distribuidores, Autoservicios Y Supermercados)


Casa Ametller


Migasa


Mostos, Vinos Y Alcoholes


Alvinesa


Reef


Aneo (Asociación Nacional De Empresas De Aceite De Orujo De Oliva)


Anierac (Asociación Nacional De Industriales Envasadores Y Refinadores De Aceites Comestibles)


Asoliva (Asociación Española De La Industria Y El Comercio Exportador Del Aceite De Oliva)


The Summer Berry Company


Apoexpa (Asociación De Productores – Exportadores De Frutas, Uva De Mesa Y Otros Productos Agrarios)


Coexphal (Asociación De Organizaciones De Productores De Frutas Y Hortalizas De La Provincia De Almería)


Fecoam (Federación De Cooperativas Agrarias De Murcia)


El Pozo Alimentación – Grupo Fuertes


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised LIDL on a variety of matters related to competition law, consumer law and unfair practices.
  • Advised BORGES on the compatibility of certain agreements and standard conditions with the Food Chain Law.
  • Assisted J GARCÍA CARRIÓN in an appeal before the Supreme Court related to an order adopted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food approving the standard extension agreement for the wine sector.