Food and Beverage Law

Clear, well-drafted terms and conditions are essential for protecting your food and beverage business when supplying products or services. Our specialist will work alongside you to prepare tailored terms and conditions (T&Cs) that outline quality standards, delivery terms, liability positions, pricing structures, and compliance requirements.

Whether you operate a food brand, manufacturer, distribution, or hospitality business, we can ensure that the terms you produce help reduce risk, support smooth operations and safeguard your customer relationships, starting on a firm legal footing.

Your terms of business define how you work with customers, suppliers and partners in the food and drink industry.

Our food and drink lawyers draft pragmatic, commercially sound terms that reflect your processes, regulatory obligations and commercial model. We ensure your rights and responsibilities are clear, enforceable and aligned with UK consumer law and food industry standards.

Reliable supply chains are vital to the success of any business operating in the food and drink industry.

Our solicitors draft and negotiate supplier agreements covering manufacturing, co-packing, logistics, fulfilment, storage and outsourced operations, helping you secure dependable partners and minimise operational risk.

In the digital age, the success of many food and beverage businesses depends on a model which relies heavily on online sales.

We support with e-commerce contracts including website terms, online T&Cs, subscription service terms, privacy policies, and digital fulfilment agreements, to ensure your online trading complies with UK consumer law, distance-selling regulations, and platform requirements, while protecting your commercial interests.

Innovation is central to the growth of food and drinks businesses. We help protect your recipes, formulations, branding and product concepts by advising on intellectual property ownership, confidentiality, licensing and collaboration agreements.

Whether you’re working with developers, designers, food scientists or co-manufacturers, we put the proper legal protections in place to safeguard investment and maintain control over your creations.

Clear reseller and introducer arrangements can enable you to expand market reach without compromising brand integrity. We can help to draft such agreements, defining responsibilities, pricing structures, territories, reporting obligations and compliance requirements.

Our food and drink law expert’s goal is to help you build scalable, commercially aligned routes to market while protecting your brand and revenue.

It should go without saying that businesses increasingly rely on technology to achieve their commercial goals, from ordering platforms and apps to inventory systems and delivery integrations.

We prepare and negotiate IT agreements covering SaaS platforms, software development, tech integrations and support services to ensure technology partners deliver reliably and securely, with clear performance metrics, data protection obligations and ownership of IP.

Brand reputation is everything in the food and drink sector. We help you structure compliant, effective marketing partnerships by drafting influencer, ambassador and promotional agreements that cover content rights, advertising standards, disclosure requirements, timelines and brand protection. With our support, you can reduce regulatory risk and secure value from every campaign.

We regularly support food and drink brands looking to scale through agencies, distributors, franchise networks or licensing arrangements. Our aim is to help your business set out clear obligations, territorial rights, brand guidelines, performance metrics and termination rights.

Joint ventures and partnerships can accelerate product launches, expand distribution or unlock new markets within the food and drink industry. We offer tailored corporate advice, structuring, documenting and negotiating joint venture arrangements that define contributions, decision-making, governance, IP ownership, revenue sharing and exit routes.

Our bespoke approach ensures collaborative ventures are built on solid legal foundations and aligned commercial goals.

Food and beverage businesses often operate with large, fast-moving workforces. We advise on employment contracts, policies, staffing structures, TUPE issues, disciplinary matters and exits, helping you manage risk while maintaining operational flexibility.

Securing the right premises is a critical step for many food and drink businesses. We advise on commercial leases for restaurants, bars, warehouses and manufacturing facilities, including breweries and production sites.

Our property team supports with lease negotiation, renewals, break clauses and property-related risk, ensuring your premises support your operational and growth needs.

Disputes with suppliers, distributors, landlords or customers can disrupt operations and damage relationships. We advise on dispute avoidance and resolution, including negotiation, mediation and, where necessary, formal legal proceedings, always with a focus on achieving a practical commercial outcome.

We regularly advise food and beverage businesses on sales, acquisitions and investment, including brewery transactions and brand acquisitions.

Our team supports founders and owners through the entire process, from preparation and due diligence to negotiation and completion, ensuring risks are identified early and value is protected.