Food and Drink

Dynamic and fast-moving

Whilst the food and drink industry has a lot of challenges, the outlook is overwhelmingly positive with the vast majority of businesses anticipating significant revenue growth in the next 12 months. The main challenges for businesses in this sector are employment-related matters (the lack of skilled workforce, the introduction of the national living wage etc.), pricing pressures and sustainability. The increasing pressure on food to be healthy is a challenge, but can be seen as an opportunity for growth and new product development.

We work with some of the sector's biggest food and drink companies providing a full-service offering to our clients. Our experience of working with FTSE100 companies alongside smaller businesses means we have encountered most scenarios in the food and drink market and can tailor our approach accordingly.

Extensive experience

AG has worked in all areas of food and drink. Here are just some of our highlights:

• Advising Associated British Foods on a broad range of transactions and restructurings including the reorganisation of its sugar funding structure and the £34 million acquisition of ethnic flour brand Elephant Atta from Premier Foods.
• Advising Diageo on various strategic investments and disposals, including the break up of South African joint ventures with Heineken and Namibia Breweries and the disposal of the Gleneagles Hotel.
• Acting for Muller on its acquisition of Dairy Crest's UK dairy operations.
• Advising Britvic Soft Drinks on brand management agreements, outsourcing transfers and commercial litigation issues such as supplier disputes.
• Supporting John West on its outsourcing of logistics and warehousing services.
• Assisting Kettle Foods on a wide range of distribution and agency arrangements.
• Advising on the £21m Sale of the entire issued share capital of Rekorderlig UK Limited to Molson Coors.
• Advising private equity firm Endless on its acquisition of Bright Blue Foods, a 700-strong company which bakes cakes and mince pies for Tesco, Asda and Morrisons.
• Advising Tate & Lyle on the re-alignment of Eaststarch, its European joint venture with US company, Archer Daniels Midland.
• Advising BAKO North Western (Group) Limited, the Preston-based bakery distributor, on their acquisition of BAKO Northern and Scotland.