A Legal and Commercial Overview of the F&B Industry in the U.S. and India

Raka Chakrawarti

Started by Chakrawarti, who spent close to a decade in Indian Hotels, the love of quality ingredients and the joy of discovery of unique ingredients makes Gourmet Delight a food connoisseurs dream. A media and hospitality veteran, Chakrawarti has previously worked for a large media conglomerate and Indian Hotels, which operate the Taj Brand in India and abroad. Deeply passionate and curious about the art of hospitality, her stint with Indian Hotels had been close to a decade when she felt the need to start her own platform. She felt that the reach of quality food products to the consumer could be better if more choices are offered via a sustainable e-commerce model.

By the time Chakrawarti's venture Gourmet Delight took off, India had come a long way in food knowledge and the love of gourmet food via the Michelin star chefs and restaurants and all the international food formats coming home to India and Indian formats opening to packed audiences abroad.

Gourmet Delight celebrates the love for best in the class food International products as well as all that is famous in India – from the spices to artisan cheese to organic Indian food – and has garnered some accolades in its journey. Gourmet Delight was one of the startups selected to meet Sunder Pichai in Delhi in January 2017 and the first runner-up in the India Retail Leadership Summit Award 2018.

Danielle DeFilippis

DeFilippis focuses her practice on intellectual property, contracts, and litigation. She regularly serves as lead counsel in cases before federal and state courts, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and alternative resolution forums. She has handled cases involving trademark and copyright infringement, false advertising, commercial disparagement, business torts, deceptive trade practices, Lanham Act claims, state and federal unfair competition laws, and other business disputes. DeFilippis is an author for Norris McLaughlin’s trademark, copyright, and unfair competition blog, More Than Your Ma®k^TM.

DeFilippis has represented clients in a variety of industries, most notably, food and beverage, liquor, jewelry, cosmetics, sports, and entertainment. She enjoys working with both emerging and established food and beverage companies on brand development, clearance, counseling through the various stages of growth, and when the need arises, prosecuting and defending litigation. DeFilippis has been named to New Jersey Law Journal’s 2019 list of “New Jersey Trailblazers” for her efforts in the food and beverage industry in New Jersey and for expanding those efforts on a global scale.

Harshita Gandhi

Gandhi is a professional with over 30 years of experience across the fields of hospitality, retail, sales, distribution, and marketing.

Based now in Mumbai after over a decade in the U.S., Gandhi is the founder and Managing Director of Tree of Life, India’s Largest and one-of-kind sales, marketing, and distribution company with a presence in 45 cities. Tree of Life is the exclusive distribution partner for international and domestic brands in the FMCG industry with a specialized focus on packaged food and beverages. Their multi-channel approach and focus on last-mile execution puts them way ahead of the pack and the choice of ambitious brands that see the Indian consumer as a strategic target.

Tree of Life represents companies like the Hain Celestial Group (U.S.), Premier Foods (U.K.), Hive & Wellness (Australia), and many others.

Mohit Kapoor

Kapoor is qualified in two jurisdictions, as a Solicitor, Supreme Court of England & Wales (NP), and as an Advocate in India. He has over 20 years of experience.

Kapoor has advised Indian and International corporations on general business law matters, private equity transactions, outbound global investments by Indian companies, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, business combinations, corporate restructurings, dispute resolution, real estate, hospitality, intellectual property, private trusts, and estate-related matters.

Kapoor has deep relationships with domestic and international tax, accountancy, consultants, and law firms across the world to assist his clients in their global business.

Prior to establishing Universal Legal, Kapoor worked with leading law firms and corporations in London and Mumbai, and with a former Additional Solicitor General of India in New Delhi.