The food and beverages team at Van Doorne focuses on the corporate and commercial aspects of food matters, often assisting clients with product recalls, contracts, and liability as well as IP, regulatory and finance-related issues. The team is able to advise on a wide breadth of issues faced by multinational and local food brands, manufacturers and companies, regularly handling cross-border commercial and regulatory food and beverage matters. Lisette Bieleveld leads the food practice and is she is the primary litigator for food-related issues and industry legislation. She also advises clients on commercial contracts, including franchising and distribution and service agreements. Florence Verbeek advises on complex food law issues including recalls, consumer and product liability, as well as being the point of contact with NVWA for the firm. IP-related food matters are handled by Kriek Wille.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The team has large experience and strong enough to tackle the most complex questions; we have been working together within the framework of a food chain, operation through a franchise formula. Van Doorne showed the relevant knowledge and their advice was very helpful in rolling out the network.’

  • ‘Lisette Bieleveld is outstanding in all aspects related to the introduction of a food chain into the Netherlands. She showed authority, which gave the client much confidence. It was obvious that she had experience to explain all the items which a client needs to launch a food chain in the Netherlands.’

Key clients

  • ABP Food Group Unlimited
  • Agrico B.V.
  • Ahold Europe Real Estate & Construction B.V.
  • AMC Grupo Alimentacion Fresco y Zumos S.
  • Baarsma Wine Group Nederland
  • Barentz N.V.
  • Bedo Imex B.V.
  • Bergbanket B.V.
  • Bio Detection Systems B.V.
  • BrunchCo 21
  • Campina
  • Can-Pack
  • Carbonell Nederland B.V.
  • Coöperatieve Inkoopcombinatie Dranken Compagnie U.A.e
  • Cott Corporation
  • Crisp B.V.
  • Deen Holding Hoorn B.V.
  • Detailresult Services B.V.
  • De Banketgroep B.V.
  • Distilleries Group Toorank B.V.
  • Drie Mollen International B.V.
  • Dutch Bakery Holding B.V.
  • Eden Springs
  • Emmi Benelux B.V.
  • Enkco
  • Euro-Caps B.V.
  • Europastry SA
  • Fernandez
  • FrieslandCampina Riedel B.V.
  • Foodimus
  • General Mills
  • Getir B.V.
  • Giorgi Global
  • Go Tan
  • Healthspan Ltd.
  • Herbalife
  • H. van Wijnen
  • Innogusto
  • ISK Bioscience Europe N.V.
  • JDE Peet’s
  • KellyDeli
  • KFC Holdings B.V.
  • Klaas Puul B.V.
  • Koninklijke Agrifirm Group
  • Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize N.V.
  • Lenger Seafoods
  • LiveKindly
  • Marine Harvest ASA
  • Marqt
  • MCO Health B.V.
  • Meatless B.V.
  • Moët & Chandon
  • NewForrest B.V
  • Nutreco N.V.
  • Nutricia Export B.V.
  • Odin
  • Padifood Service B.V.
  • Pandriks Holding B.V.
  • Paterson Arran Ltd.
  • Plukon Food Group
  • PortionPack Europe Holding B.V.
  • Prins & Dingemanse B.V.
  • Prinsen Food
  • PV Industries B.V.
  • Rainforest Alliance
  • Refresco Group B.V.
  • Royal Sanders
  • Santé Group
  • Sonion Nederland B.V.
  • Starbucks Coffee Netherlands B.V.
  • Stichting Albert Schweitzer
  • Stichting de Zorgcirkel
  • Struik Holding N.V. and Struik Europe N.V.
  • SunOpta
  • Supergoods UG
  • Ter Maten Group
  • Texelse Bierbrouwerij B.V.
  • The Green Happiness
  • Tony’s Factory B.V.
  • Trioplast Industries AB
  • United Coffee Services Schweiz AG
  • United Softdrinks B.V
  • Van Oers United
  • Vaessen-Schoemaker B.V.
  • Vita Square B.V.
  • Wipak

Work highlights

  • Assisted Tony’s Chocolonely with obtaining compensation for damages and providing assistance in Tony’s ongoing discussions with BC, its claim handler and insurer.
  • Assisted Lipton Teas with respect to contracting network services, infrastructure services, implementation services, various administration and BPO services and its application landscape.
  • Advised Agrico B.V. on its intended cooperation with Nedato as it concerns their respective international consumer vegetable businesses.

Lawyers

Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Lisette Bieleveld

Other key lawyers

Kriek Wille, Florence Verbeek