Finding the right trademark lawyer for your food and beverage brand isn't just about legal expertise — it's about understanding an industry where brand identity can make or break a product on the shelf. From craft breweries navigating crowded tap lists to premium food exporters protecting their marks across Asia-Pacific markets, the stakes in F&B trademark law are uniquely high.
Australia's food and beverage sector contributes over $200 billion annually to the economy, and with that scale comes fierce competition for brand recognition. A poorly chosen name, an unregistered mark, or a failure to police infringement can cost F&B businesses millions in lost revenue and rebranding expenses.
We've evaluated trademark lawyers and firms across Australia who have demonstrated specific expertise in the food and beverage space. Our assessment considers industry experience, client outcomes, understanding of F&B regulatory frameworks, and the ability to handle the unique challenges that arise when food meets intellectual property law.
What Makes Food & Beverage Trademark Law Different?
Before diving into our ranked list, it's worth understanding why F&B brands need specialist trademark advice rather than a generalist IP practitioner.
Descriptiveness challenges are rampant in this sector. Food and beverage brands frequently want names that evoke taste, origin, ingredients, or production methods — all of which can run headlong into descriptiveness objections from IP Australia. A skilled F&B trademark lawyer knows how to navigate the line between evocative branding and unregistrable descriptiveness.
Geographic indications and certification marks add another layer of complexity. Terms like "Champagne," "Parmesan," and "Scotch" carry legal weight under international agreements, and Australia's obligations under free trade agreements continue to evolve. Lawyers who understand these frameworks can save F&B brands from costly missteps.
Packaging and trade dress protection is critical in an industry where shelf presence drives purchasing decisions. The shape of a bottle, the colour scheme of a label, and the overall look and feel of packaging can all be protectable — but only with the right legal strategy.
Regulatory overlap between trademark law and food standards (including the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code) means that what you *can* register as a trademark may conflict with what you're *required* to display on packaging. Expert lawyers in this space understand both regimes.
The 12 Best Trademark Lawyers for Food & Beverage Brands
1. Shelston IP
Shelston IP has long been one of Australia's most respected intellectual property firms, and their food and beverage trademark practice is among the strongest in the country. With offices in Sydney and a history stretching back over 135 years, the firm combines deep institutional knowledge with a modern understanding of the F&B landscape. Their team has acted for major Australian and international food brands on portfolio management, opposition proceedings, and international filing strategies. Their attorneys are particularly adept at handling the descriptiveness challenges that plague food brand registrations.
Key strengths: Large-scale portfolio management, international filing expertise, opposition and cancellation proceedings.
2. Wrays
Perth-based Wrays brings a formidable IP practice to the food and beverage sector, as explored in our WA-focused rankings, with particular strength in agricultural and primary producer branding. Given Western Australia's significant role in food exports — particularly grains, seafood, and premium produce — Wrays has developed niche expertise in protecting F&B brands destined for international markets. Their trademark attorneys understand the interplay between Australian registration and protection in key export markets across Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Key strengths: Agricultural and export-focused branding, international market protection, strong regional expertise.
3. Griffith Hack (now part of IPH Limited)
Griffith Hack's trademark team has a well-documented track record in the food and beverage sector, having advised some of Australia's most recognisable consumer brands. Their integration into the IPH Limited network provides clients with seamless access to trademark protection across Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia — critical for F&B brands with regional distribution ambitions. The firm's attorneys are skilled at conducting freedom-to-operate searches in crowded product categories where similar naming conventions are common.
Key strengths: Consumer brand expertise, regional network through IPH, freedom-to-operate analysis.
4. Davies Collison Cave (DCC)
DCC is one of Australia's largest IP firms, and their trademark practice has significant depth in the food and beverage space. They've advised clients ranging from multinational beverage companies to artisanal food producers. Their team is particularly strong on trade dress and packaging protection, understanding the visual branding elements that drive consumer choice in supermarket aisles and bottle shops. DCC's trade mark attorneys are also experienced in managing the intersection of trademark rights and the Australian Consumer Law's misleading and deceptive conduct provisions.
Key strengths: Trade dress and packaging, large portfolio management, consumer law intersection.
5. Spruson & Ferguson
As one of the Asia-Pacific region's largest IP firms, Spruson & Ferguson offers food and beverage clients an unmatched geographic footprint. For Australian F&B brands looking to protect their marks in China, Japan, South Korea, and across ASEAN nations, the firm's on-the-ground presence in multiple jurisdictions is a significant advantage. Their Australian trademark team has handled numerous food-related registrations and disputes, including matters involving geographic indications and certification trade marks.
Key strengths: Asia-Pacific coverage, geographic indications expertise, certification trade marks.
6. FB Rice
FB Rice has built a reputation for providing commercially focused trademark advice, making them an excellent fit for food and beverage businesses that need practical, business-oriented IP counsel. Their trademark attorneys take the time to understand their clients' commercial objectives — whether that's preparing for a product launch, negotiating co-branding arrangements, or defending against infringement by a competitor. The firm has notable experience with beverage brands, including work in the wine and craft beer sectors.
Key strengths: Commercially focused advice, beverage sector experience, co-branding arrangements.
7. Pizzeys Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys
Brisbane-based Pizzeys has a strong presence in Queensland's vibrant food and beverage sector, which includes everything from tropical fruit producers to craft distilleries. The firm's trademark team understands the unique branding challenges faced by regional food producers who are scaling up for national or international distribution. Pizzeys is particularly effective at helping smaller F&B businesses develop trademark strategies that are both protective and cost-effective — a critical consideration for brands that are still growing.
Key strengths: Regional F&B expertise, cost-effective strategies for growing brands, Queensland market knowledge.
8. Madderns Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys
Adelaide-based Madderns is ideally positioned to serve South Australia's world-renowned wine and food industries. The firm's trademark attorneys have extensive experience with wine label registrations — a notoriously complex area given the interplay between trademark law, geographic indications (think Barossa, Coonawarra, and McLaren Vale), and the Wine Australia regulatory framework. Beyond wine, Madderns has advised food producers across the premium end of the market, including olive oil, cheese, and smallgoods brands.
Key strengths: Wine industry expertise, geographic indications, premium food branding.
9. Allens (Linklaters Alliance)
For large food and beverage companies — particularly multinationals operating in Australia — Allens provides full-service trademark and brand protection advice integrated with broader commercial, regulatory, and competition law counsel. Their IP team has handled significant trademark disputes in the F&B sector, including matters that have gone to the Federal Court. Allens' ability to coordinate trademark strategy with food regulatory compliance, franchise arrangements, and distribution agreements makes them a strong choice for complex F&B brand ecosystems.
Key strengths: Full-service capability, Federal Court litigation, complex brand ecosystems.
10. Holding Redlich
Holding Redlich's IP and trademark team has developed notable expertise in the food and beverage sector, particularly in matters involving brand disputes, licensing arrangements, and franchise-related trademark issues. With offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Cairns, the firm has a broad geographic reach across Australia's key F&B markets. Their lawyers are experienced in advising food franchise systems on trademark compliance — an increasingly important area as franchise regulation tightens under the Franchising Code of Conduct.
Key strengths: Franchise-related trademark issues, brand disputes, multi-office geographic reach.
11. Lander & Rogers
Melbourne-based Lander & Rogers has a well-regarded IP practice that serves a number of food and beverage clients. The firm is particularly strong in trademark enforcement — helping F&B brands take action against counterfeit products, parallel imports, and online infringement. With the growth of e-commerce and direct-to-consumer food sales, which we examine in our guide for e-commerce brands, the ability to police trademark infringement in digital marketplaces has become essential. Lander & Rogers' team understands both the legal mechanisms and the practical commercial considerations involved in enforcement decisions.
Key strengths: Trademark enforcement, anti-counterfeiting, e-commerce brand protection.
12. Baxter IP
Baxter IP, with offices in Sydney and Melbourne, has carved out a niche serving innovative food and beverage startups and scale-ups. We cover this further in our startup trademark guide. Their trademark attorneys are experienced in working with F&B entrepreneurs who are building brands from scratch — advising on name selection, conducting availability searches, filing applications, and developing protection strategies that can grow with the business. Baxter IP's practical, startup-friendly approach makes them accessible to F&B founders who may be navigating the trademark system for the first time.
Key strengths: Startup and scale-up focus, name selection guidance, growth-stage trademark strategies.
Key Considerations When Choosing a Trademark Lawyer for Your F&B Brand
Industry-Specific Experience Matters
A trademark lawyer who has handled hundreds of F&B registrations will immediately recognise potential issues that a generalist might miss. They'll know which terms IP Australia is likely to object to, which classes of goods you need to cover, and how to structure specifications that give your brand maximum protection without inviting unnecessary objections.
Think Beyond Australia
If your food or beverage product has any potential for export — and in today's market, most do — you need a lawyer who can advise on international trademark strategy. The Madrid Protocol provides a streamlined process for filing in multiple countries, but it's not always the best approach for every market. An experienced F&B trademark lawyer will know when to use Madrid and when to file directly. For more detail, see our Australian trademark lawyer rankings.
Consider the Full Brand Lifecycle
The best trademark lawyers don't just file applications — they help you build a comprehensive brand protection strategy. This includes conducting thorough clearance searches before you commit to a name, advising on the strength of your proposed mark, monitoring for potential infringers, and taking enforcement action when necessary.
Budget Appropriately
Trademark protection is an investment, not an expense. For food and beverage brands, the cost of rebranding after a trademark dispute far exceeds the cost of proper protection from the outset. That said, the right lawyer will help you prioritise your trademark spend and build protection incrementally as your business grows.
Common Trademark Mistakes Food & Beverage Brands Make
Choosing descriptive names. Calling your tomato sauce "Fresh & Tasty" might sound appealing, but it's likely unregistrable. The best F&B trademark lawyers will guide you toward distinctive, protectable names without sacrificing brand appeal.
Filing too late. In Australia's first-to-use system, establishing priority is crucial. Too many F&B brands invest heavily in packaging, marketing, and distribution before securing their trademark — leaving themselves vulnerable to prior rights holders.
Insufficient class coverage. Food and beverage products can span multiple trademark classes (Class 29 for processed foods, Class 30 for staples like coffee and sauces, Class 32 for non-alcoholic beverages, Class 33 for alcoholic beverages). Failing to cover all relevant classes can leave gaps in your protection.
Ignoring trade dress. Your packaging design, label layout, and overall brand presentation can be as valuable as your brand name. Failing to protect these elements leaves a significant part of your brand identity exposed.
Final Thoughts
The food and beverage industry is one of Australia's most dynamic and competitive sectors. In a market where consumers make split-second purchasing decisions based on brand recognition, trademark protection isn't optional — it's essential.
The twelve lawyers and firms listed above represent the best in the business for F&B trademark work in 2026. Each brings different strengths to the table, from boutique startup-focused practices to full-service firms capable of managing global portfolios. We cover this further in our guide to boutique trademark firms. The right choice for your brand depends on your specific circumstances: your size, your budget, your geographic ambitions, and the complexity of your trademark needs.
Whatever your situation, the most important step is to engage a trademark professional early — ideally before you've finalised your brand name, designed your packaging, or launched your first product. The investment you make in proper trademark protection today will pay dividends for years to come.
James Whitfield
Legal Industry Analyst
James Whitfield is a freelance legal industry analyst covering the Australian trademark and IP sector. His research draws on publicly available information including firm websites, professional registrations, and published industry data.