We represent domestic and international producers, bottlers, importers, brand owners and distributors of spirits, wine, beer and ready-to-drink products, from tequila and mezcal houses to global beer and champagne brands. 

Our work covers the sanitary, commercial, tax and intellectual property dimensions of the product: specifications and labeling under the Official Mexican Standards, appellation-of-origin compliance, imports and tax stamps, advertising, and distribution structuring. We support both craft producers scaling nationally and international brands entering the Mexican market. 

 

Services 

• Market-entry strategy, product classification and naming under NOM-199. 

• Sanitary specifications and health and commercial labeling under NOM-142, including mandatory warning statements. 

• Compliance with appellations of origin and geographical indications (tequila, mezcal and others), and dealings with certification bodies and regulatory councils. 

• Imports: sector-specific importers registry, tax stamps, conformity assessment and customs compliance. 

• Excise tax (IEPS) and sector tax obligations, with our Tax practice. 

• Review of advertising, sponsorships, e-commerce and point-of-sale promotion. 

• Production and sales licenses, compliance assessments and remediation plans before federal and local authorities. 

• Contract manufacturing, bottling, exclusive import, distribution and brand licensing agreements. 

• Defense in inspections, seizures and enforcement proceedings, and commercial litigation. 

• Trademark and trade dress registration and enforcement, including anti-counterfeiting. 

Representative experience 

• Advised Tequila Casa Dragones on its corporate, commercial and regulatory matters. 

• Advised Georgian Bay Spirit Co. on regulatory matters for its Tequila Hard Seltzer. 

• Advised The Lost Explorer, a premium mezcal brand, on corporate and regulatory matters. 

• Advised Sapporo Breweries and Champagne Armand de Brignac on regulatory matters. 

• Represented Beam Suntory in several commercial and corporate litigation matters. 

• Represented Acrónimo, a sotol brand, in capital raises and its expansion into the United States. 

• Conducted a full compliance assessment and remediation plan for a craft alcoholic beverage producer, and structured its distribution agreements for nationwide expansion. 

Representative Clients

• Advised Georgian Bay Spirit Co. on regulatory matters for its Tequila Hard Seltzer.
• Advised The Lost Explorer, a premium mezcal, on corporate and regulatory matters.
• Advised Tequila Casa Dragones in all their corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters.
• Advised Sapporo Breweries on regulatory matters.
• Advised Champagne Armand de Brignac in regulatory matters.
• Advised Beam Suntory, a world leader in premium beverages, in multiple commercial and corporate litigation matters.