Food, Drink & Agri: Experience

M&A/TRANSACTIONAL

JBS on the sale of Moy Park chicken to Pilgrims Pride for $1.3bn.
The Shareholders on the sale of Manor Farm to Scandi Standard.
Jose Cuervo on the acquisition of the Old Bushmills Distillery.
Kellogg’s on all aspects of the establishment of their European headquarters.
Brazilian Beef Company, JBS on the restructure of its international business and the move of its headquarters to Ireland.
Britvic/Counterpoint in relation to the acquisition of the business of East Coast Suppliers Ltd and Knockton Ltd.
Ballyrashane Creamery on its merger with Town of Monaghan Co-op, to create Lacpatrick.
Sysco Corporation on its acquisition through its Irish subsidiary Pallas Foods of the food services division of Keelings group.
Nestlé’s acquisition of Pfizer’s Infant Milk business.
Campari on its acquisition of Carolans, Frangelico and Irish Mist from William Grant & Sons.
Heineken Ireland Limited on its joint venture with Comans Beverages Limited to merge the existing Heineken and Comans distribution businesses.
Cadbury Kraft on all aspects of the integration of these separate businesses in Ireland following the takeover of Cadbury by Kraft and on the subsequent spin off of the Mondelēz confectionary business.
Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard on the sale of Paddy Whiskey.
C&D Foods and ABP Food Group on the acquisition of the pan European pet food manufacturer Arovit A.S.
Lily O’Brien’s Chocolates vendor on the sale to Carlyle Cardinal Ireland.
Valeo Foods on the competition aspects of its acquisition of Jacob Fruitfield Food Group.
Premier Foods on its sale of certain brands to Boyne Valley Group.
ABP Food Group on the acquisition of 50%, and later 30% interest in C&D Foods.
Sysco Corporation on the acquisition of Crossgar Foodservice.
Campbell Bewley on the acquisitions of coffee distributor Darlington’s and Bolling Coffee and its franchise agreements.
Axereal Union de Cooperatives Agricoles on its acquisition of the malt business of Greencore Group.
Campari on its €128.2m acquisition of Carolans, Frangelico and Irish Mist from William Grant & Sons.
Pallas Foods on its acquisition of Crossgar.
Campbell Bewley on the sale of Campbell Catering to Aramark.
The shareholders of Batchelors on the disposal of its business to Capvest backed Valeo Foods.
C&D Foods on its acquisition of a production facility from Nestlé.
Valeo Foods on the competition aspects of its acquisition of Jacob Fruitfield Food Group.
Heineken on the Irish aspects of its acquisition of Scottish & Newcastle.
Britvic plc on its €249.2m acquisition of the soft drinks and distribution businesses of C&C Group.
Nestlé on the disposal of its ambient food business to Fruitfield Foods.
Pernod Ricard on its €13.4bn acquisition of Allied Domecq.
The Board of Directors of BWG Group on the management buy-out of the BWG Group.
Thai Union Frozen Products on the Irish aspects of its acquisition of MW Brands and John West canned-fish brand from Trilantic Capital Partners.
Groupe Danone on the sale of Jacobs Biscuits to United Biscuits, and the sale of Irish Biscuits to Fruitfield.
Stonyfield Europe, the French holding company, in relation to its acquisition of a 37% stake inGlenisk.
Kilhorne Bay Seafoods on its sale of the entire issued share capital of Rockall Seafoods.
Suki Teahouse in its equity offering to Matthew Algie & Co.
Heineken in relation to the examinership of the Thomas Read Group.
Spar Group on its investment in the BWG Group.
Bank of Scotland Ireland, Barry’s Tea and Management on the sale of Batchelors Foods to Valeo Foods Group.
Maiden Acquisition Company (the vehicle formed by Barry’s Tea and Bank of Scotland Ireland) on the €95m acquisition of the Irish operations of British Group Northern Foods.
Brown-Forman on international group wide restructurings and cash and dividend repatriation strategies.
Pernod Ricard on its €13.4bn acquisition of Allied Domecq.
Irish Distillers on the disposal of the Old Bushmills Distillery Company to Diageo.
Coca Cola on the legal work in respect of a new Coca Cola plant in Wexford.
Batchelors on the acquisition of Erin Foods Ltd.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, SALES & MARKETING

A liqueur manufacturer in connection with a claim of passing-off of its bottle get-up by a cheaper similar drink in Ireland.
Heineken ongoing advice in relation to IP matters, labelling and advertising, sales and marketing practices (including advices on the Irish gaming and lotteries legislation, advertising codes, competition terms and conditions and data protection issues arising out of direct marketing) and sponsorship and product endorsement.
Danone in relation to food product health claims and compliance with advertising and promotional activities in the food sector.
Jameson Whiskey on its sponsorship of the Jameson Dublin International Film festival.
McDonalds in relation to website terms and conditions and privacy statement and general consumer issues.
Kelloggs Establishment of tax favourable Irish IP licencing structures to exploit global brands, following the establishment of their European Headquarters in Ireland.
Londis and BWG in their contractual arrangements with franchisees.
Coca Cola on advices in relation to labelling and advertising, sales promotions and consumer law issues.
Cadbury on various consumer law matters including sales and marketing practices and labelling and advertising.
BWG Foods in relation to dealings with Spar franchisees, distribution, food preparation, product placing and recall.
Heineken in relation to labelling and advertising, sales and marketing practices, liquor licensing law, sponsorship and product endorsement and on consumer law issues relating to parallel traded Heineken products.

PRODUCT LIABILITY

The plaintiffs of a global supplier of feeds, bio-energy and services in multi jurisdictional litigation arising out of the contamination of feed products.
A well known research company in product liability claims relating to various agricultural products.
An agricultural company in defending various product liability claims.
Merial Animal Health in relation to veterinary medicinal product residues in baby food and milk products.
A fishmeal producer, in defence of product liability claims by a number of Irish salmon farmers.
ED & F Man Nederland BV in the prosecution of High Court proceedings arising out of the contamination of glucose & molasses with MPA (medroxyprogesterone acetate).
A leading fish foods producer in defence of High Court Proceedings arising out of an allegedly defective fish feed product.
Major supplier of medical products in relation to threatened hip implant litigation.

REGULATORY

Irish Distillers-Pernod Ricard on a host of legal issues facing a multi-national company in the FMCG sector.
Coca Cola on competition issues related to the sale of Innocent to Coca Cola.
Cadbury on the Irish aspects of its takeover by Kraft Foods.
Cadbury Schweppes on the Irish aspects of its demerger of its beverages division and disposal of worldwide assets to Coca Cola, including its Athy concentrate plant.
A coffee chain on a notification to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and potential product recall in respect of a chewing gum product.
Glanbia Nutritionals on novel foods regulations and regulatory aspects of nutritional food supplements.
Responsible Retailing of Alcohol in Ireland (RRAI) on liquor licensing issues.

LITIGATION (OTHER)

Campbell Bewley Group in defending injunction and forfeiture proceedings issued by the landlord of the Bewley’s Grafton Street premises.
United Biscuits, UK based owner of several leading household brands including McVitie’s, in its defence of a passing off injunction action taken by Jacobs Fruitfield.
Group Danone in Commercial Court proceedings arising out the termination of a distributorship agreement in relation to two leading brands - Volvic and Evian mineral waters.

INCENTIVES

Scheme consolidations and amendments with a number of clients e.g. Kellogg's Company, XL Services UK Limited.
Nestlé on the Irish share plan aspects of its acquisition of the Pfizer nutrition business in Ireland.
Ongoing trustee and/or administration services for a broad range of clients, including Britvic plc.

COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS

Kelloggs establishment of European Headquarters in Ireland and establishing of tax favourable Irish IP licencing structures to exploit global brands.
Heineken Ireland Ltd on various sponsorship agreements; Yoplait in relation to Irish law review of certain key distribution and logistics services agreements.
Jameson Whiskey on its sponsorship of the Jameson Dublin International Film festival.
BWG Foods Ltd on issues dealing with Spar franchisees, distribution, food preparation, product placing and recall.

MERGER CONTROL

Heineken on its acquisition of Scottish & Newcastle, securing unconditional clearance from the Irish Competition Authority - the only reference everfrom the European Commission to the Irish Competition Authority.
Pallas/Sysco's acquisition of Crossgar.
Britvic plc in its acquisition of the soft drinks business of the C&C Group.
Boparan on its successful acquisition of Northern Foods for Stg£342m.