Addleshaw Goddard's India Business Group has advised leading soft drinks business Britvic plc on its agreement with The Narang Group for the sale and distribution of its popular Fruit Shoot drink in India commencing mid-2014. The deal will mark the first time that Britvic has launched one of its products in India and is part of Britvic's strategy of accelerated international growth.

The Addleshaw Goddard team was led by Mike Duggan, the firm's India Business Group head, with support from corporate associate Sunjay Malhotra. Addleshaw Goddard has a long track record of working with businesses looking to expand into India and also has a depth of experience in the food and drink sector. The Addleshaw Goddard team collaborated with leading Indian law firm Khaitan & Co to advise Britvic. Khaitan's legal team was led by partner Vaishali Sharma and associate Abhishek Sinha.

Commenting on the deal, Mike Duggan said:

    "We are delighted to have been able to support Britvic on this strategic project, which will see another leading UK brand becoming available across India. India is a dynamic fast growing consumer market with an increasing taste for international brands, which offers UK based businesses a real opportunity to accelerate their growth ambitions.

    Over the past 10 years, our India Business Group has provided practical advice and support to our clients looking to the Indian market to support their strategies. For many businesses expansion into India represents an exciting but challenging opportunity. We are very pleased to have been able to play our part in helping Britvic execute their growth plans in India."

Marius de Beer from Britvic India.said:

    “The support from Mike and his India team at Addleshaw Goddard was excellent and key to Britvic being able to execute successfully in what is an important new market for us.

    At the outset we wondered whether we needed AG as well as local Indian legal advisers, but the value that AG brought meant we simply could not have done it without them. Mike and the team used their experience of Indian ways of working and legal issues to map out up front likely areas of sensitivity, they introduced us to the best local advisers and then managed that process to ensure an efficient seamless deal team, and were able to use their own transaction and Indian market experience to lead and shape the negotiations. It was first rate support.”

Working alongside leading market participants in India, Addleshaw Goddard's India Business Group provides practical legal advice to UK, European and international businesses on their India plans, as well as advising Indian companies and promoters; from establishing overseas operations, acquiring businesses or establishing joint ventures, raising finance, mitigating risk in business practices, trust and estate planning for family offices and promoters, to successfully resolving complex and high value disputes. Addleshaw Goddard is a member of the UK India Business Council and works with the UKTI and other leading India focused organisations to promote increased opportunities between UK and Indian businesses.

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