Two global legal giants are raising their mugs to the formation of a $5 billion coffee joint venture between Mondelez International and rival D.E Master Blenders 1753 that hopes to challenge market leader Nestle.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom has taken the lead on the deal for Master Blenders, a onetime Sara Lee Corp. spinoff now controlled by Germany’s Joh. A. Benckiser Group, the investment arm of the country’s dynastic Reimann family. M&A partners Sean Doyle and Paul Schnell, both in New York, are leading a Skadden team advising JAB and Master Blenders that also includes banking partners Robert Copen, Mark Darley and Steven Messina, IP and technology partner Jose Esteves and associate Maxim Mayer-Cesiano. All are in New York but Darley, who is in London.
