FoodTech

Food technology is a fast-moving and highly competitive sector, covering an area with health, sustainability and economics at the heart of innovation.

This dynamic industry is evolving to meet demand to bring new, greener, and healthier products to market in the most cost-effective way possible. This is driving significant developments in food and beverage production processes, novel ingredients, improved formulations, and even medical uses of food products.

HGF’s food tech team works with researchers and businesses at every level to maximise competitive advantage, from start-ups and their investors, SMEs and universities to multinational corporations. Our specialist attorneys tap into their scientific backgrounds and current knowledge of the latest food tech advances to develop commercially-focused, strategic IP solutions.

We have particular expertise in the fields of food additives, functional foods, nutraceuticals, dairy, confectionery, baked goods, dietary supplements, animal and pet food, infant nutrition, medical nutrition, prebiotics & probiotics, fermentation, alternative protein production, sugars & sweeteners, oils & fats, fragrance & flavour ingredients, plant-based foods, brewing & distillation, enzymes, sports nutrition, packaging, and food processing technologies.

Working closely with colleagues across Trade Marks, Design and Law  we build tailored, cross-disciplinary teams to support food and drink innovators, from R&D institutions and manufacturers to suppliers and retailers.  Our services cover the full spectrum of IP needs in this sector, including invention capture, trade secrets, branding, freedom-to-operate analysis, strategic portfolio management, licences and other commercial agreements, and enforcement.

Latest updates

Where Does the Real IP Value Lie in AI-Enabled Life Sciences?

After attending the BioTechX conference in Basel last week, talking to people working across pharma, biotech, AI, software, laboratory automation and data management, my main takeaway was clear: the conversation …

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When AI Designs the Ingredient: Who Controls the Data, the Model and the Discovery?

AI-enabled discovery has drawn significant attention in pharmaceutical R&D, but its impact is extending into other industries, across ingredients, food, flavour, fragrance and industrial biotechnology. As AI models advance, the …

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Protecting the AI Drug Discovery Ecosystem: Building an IP Stack Around Targets, Molecules and Medicines

Despite the considerable costs and effort in target identification, candidate generation, selection and advancement to clinical trials, 90% of candidates that enter clinical trials during drug discovery fail (Sun D, …

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Agritech Thymes: UK-EU SPS agreement – what does it mean for plant breeders?

Since Brexit, the UK agrifood sector has faced difficulties, largely due to the requirement for additional certifications and controls, such as phytosanitary certificates and border checks. This has had a …

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How Low Can You Go? T 0137/24, Percentage Sequence Identity Claims and Divergent EPO and USPTO Approaches

Key takeaways Increasing percentage sequence identity thresholds may be selected from a disclosed convergent list without adding matter, provided the amendment does not create a new technical combination; Broader percentage …

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Event - 18th November 2026

HGF Venture: Funding the Future

Join fellow life sciences founders, investors and business leaders for an evening of drinks and networking in Cambridge on the 18th November, 5-9pm. Featuring an investor-founder round table and an …

Event details

Designing the Exit: IP Strategy for Venture-Backed Biotech

In venture-built biotech, value is not created at the point of exit, but is designed into the asset from the very beginning. The earliest decisions made around a scientific discovery …

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Five Questions VCs Should Ask About IP Before They Invest

Intellectual property diligence too often starts with the wrong question: how many patents does the company have? For venture investors, that is rarely the most revealing answer. The real issue …

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Let's talk

If you would like to discuss how HGF could help you, contact one of our foodtech specialists.