THIS will be the first year Howes Percival LLP has sponsored the F & B Achiever of the Year category at the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards.
Why is legal support important to the food and drink sector? And why is now the right time to support this event?
“Howes Percival has been gradually building food and drink legal expertise over a number of years,” said Matt Talbot, head of the firm’s Food and Drink team. “We now act for some great brands, both regionally and across the UK, and we have the capability of supporting the legal needs of all areas of the sector, from brand protection and development, to employee issues; from providing assistance with regulatory matters to dealing with supplier and customer agreements or disputes. We really do now have an extensive legal offering in this sector.”
So why sponsor the food and drink awards this year?
“We are genuinely excited and enthusiastic about the food and drink awards and wanted to demonstrate our commitment to the sector and our relevance to it,” said Alex Payton, an employment lawyer who sits within the firm’s Food and Drink team. “It is clear that the coming years will be critical for the food and drink industry, following in particular the triggering of Article 50 and Brexit. Matt and I both attended the food and drink awards launch event at Dawn Farms on 30 March, and talking to people across the sector in this region it was clear that Brexit brings with it a number of challenges as well as opportunities. This is where we think legal support and partnering will be key, and why it is vital that we celebrate what great food and drink businesses we have, particularly in this region.”
So what are the Brexit challenges that this sector faces?
“There will clearly be a number of challenges but at present the main challenge is dealing with the uncertainty,” said Alex. “I spoke to a manager of one business at the event who told me they employ a number of EU migrants. Their biggest challenge is how they will recruit if the deal between the UK and the EU restricts the movement of such labour. They also want a quick answer from the government as to what will happen to existing EU migrant workers in this country so that they can manage the anxiety felt by much of their workforce who are vital to their business.”
Matthew Talbot added: “As lawyers, we see our role in this sector increasing as businesses look to us to advise them and to navigate the difficulties, but also the potential positives that lie ahead from exiting the EU.”
For more information, contact Matthew Talbot, Partner, Howes Percival LLP on 0116 2473514 or email