Legal Bites

Supply Chain Compliance in Mexico's Food and Beverage Sector

Successful cross-border business now turns on compliance as much as commerce. In this episode of "Legal Bites," Partners Jessica Brown [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/b/brown-jessica-m], Alejandro A. Sánchez Mújica [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/s/sanchez-mujica-alejandro-a] and Oscar Alejandro Quiroz-Chávez [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/q/quiroz-chavez-oscar-alejandro] examine how recent U.S. cartel designations are changing the legal landscape for American companies operating or investing in Mexico, especially in the agricultural sector. Citing examples from avocado production in Michoacán and recent enforcement actions involving Mexican financial institutions and public officials, they show how even organizations that already have robust compliance controls can face scrutiny, disrupted payments and serious legal exposure when cartel activity touches a supply chain, transaction or business partner. The attorneys emphasize that companies can still pursue opportunity in Mexico, but they must do so with stronger due diligence, updated compliance measures and a clear understanding of how quickly risk can move across national boundaries.

Why Recall Planning Matters for Every Food Company

A food recall can escalate from a routine operational issue to a full-scale business crisis in a matter of hours, which is why preparation is mandatory for food companies of any size. Food and Beverage Litigation attorney Charles Weiss [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/w/weiss-charles-a] and Sedgwick Business Development – Food Recall Director Ryan Gooley unpack what really drives recalls, from undeclared allergens and labeling mistakes to supplier issues and traceability gaps, and explain why strong planning before a crisis hits can make all the difference. This episode explores what an effective recall plan should include, how meaningful recall simulations expose hidden weaknesses, where companies often go wrong when communicating and scoping a recall, and why recall insurance can be a critical but often misunderstood part of the risk management strategy. Practical, timely and highly relevant for food manufacturers and industry stakeholders alike, this discussion offers clear insight into how businesses can strengthen recall readiness, protect their operations and respond with confidence when the unexpected happens.

A Penny for Your Thoughts? Understanding the Legal Implications of the U.S. Penny Shortage

In this episode of the "Legal Bites Podcast" series, Food and Beverage Litigation attorney Charles Weiss [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/w/weiss-charles-a] and Corporate attorney Chris Phillips [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/p/phillips-christopher] speak about the legal and operational fallout from the federal government's decision to stop minting pennies. Moderated by Practice Development Manager Kristina Merritt, our lawyers examine the long standing reality that pennies cost more to produce than their face value and recent policy decisions that led to a penny shortage, forcing retailers to grapple with rounding transactions, retraining staff, updating point of sale systems and posting clear rounding policies. The discussion explores how state and local cash acceptance and anti cash discrimination laws complicate rounding for cash payers, as well as the unique and often conflicting rules governing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) transactions. It also examines the ripple effects these issues have on check cashing services and payroll practices. Chris walks through the proposed Common Cents Act, including its now uncertain effort to create a federally sanctioned rounding standard, and he outlines best practices for food and beverage operators to stay compliant across multiple jurisdictions while this legal and regulatory landscape evolves.

New York State Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act Cracks Down on a "Leech Industry"

In this episode of the "Legal Bites Podcast" series, Food and Beverage Litigation attorneys Charles Weiss [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/w/weiss-charles-a] and Christopher Riano [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/r/riano-christopher], along with Practice Development Manager Kristina Merritt, speak with New York State Assemblymember Alex Bores about his sponsorship of the New York State Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act [https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2025/02/new-york-curbs-scalping-of-restaurant-reservations]. The act, which took effect in February 2025, blocks third-party restaurant reservation platforms from selling reservations without an agreement with the restaurant. Assemblymember Bores explains he had received complaints from many industry stakeholders about platforms taking reservations and reselling them for hundreds of dollars, prompting him to take action. In this episode, he provides an in-depth look at how the law came to be, as well as the issues he is currently addressing and plans to tackle in the future.

Ohio State Senator Has a Bone to Pick with Court Ruling on Boneless Wings

In the next episode of the "Legal Bites Podcast" series, Food and Beverage Litigation [https://www.hklaw.com/en/services/practices/litigation-and-dispute-resolution/food-and-beverage-litigation] attorney Charles Weiss [https://www.hklaw.com/en/professionals/w/weiss-charles-a] and Practice Development Manager Kristina Merritt sit down with Ohio State Senator William DeMora for an important conversation concerning a recent Ohio Supreme Court ruling involving boneless chicken wings – specifically, a personal injury case in which a restaurant patron was badly injured by an unexpected bone in an order of what was on the menu as boneless chicken wings. Although technically a personal injury matter, Sen. DeMora shares why he thinks this case is a public policy issue that impacts the entire nation. If we can't count on boneless wings not to have bones in them, then what can we count on?