Food and agribusiness

Our global food and agribusiness group is aligned to advise clients across the whole of the food and agribusiness value chain. With offices in 36 countries, including in key agricultural hubs, our lawyers provide a seamless, full-service experience to clients facing the growing demands on the food and agribusiness industry, such as increasingly complex regulatory and anti-competition requirements, financial distress related to fluctuations in the commodities markets, supply chain issues, labor shortages, ESG considerations and trade secret and other intellectual property (IP) enforcement and protections.

Our depth of experience stems from our representation of stakeholders across the food and agribusiness industry. From local family-owned companies to multinational conglomerates and brands, we represent producers, growers, processors, manufacturers, distributors, grocery chains and restaurants. Our experience extends to food and agribusiness-adjacent businesses such as manufacturers and lessors of precision farming equipment, alternative fuel producers and soft commodities traders. Moreover, some of the leading agribusiness financial institutions and private credit funds rely on us as their go-to counsel. We regularly advise these leading agribusiness financial institutions on all aspects of their transaction, litigation and compliance needs, including commercial lending and financial restructuring for syndicated and bilateral operating lines and real estate loans.

The food and agribusiness group advises clients on a broad range of issues, including domestic and foreign investments, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, joint ventures, project finance, commercial lending, financial restructuring and bankruptcy, scientific cooperation agreements, international trade, land matters and technology licensing.

Our commodities team has established a leading reputation in emerging and transitional markets. We offer extensive experience in the financing of the production, export, transport and warehousing of a vast range of soft commodities including tobacco, coffee, cocoa, sugar, grains and edible oils, paper, cotton and textiles, as well as related processed products of soft commodities, including those in the alcohol beverage sector.