Exhibit 5.2
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| | HUNTON & WILLIAMS LLP |
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| | FILE NO: 59109.000009 |
December 19, 2008
Kraft Foods Inc.
Three Lakes Drive
Northfield, Illinois 60093-2753
Kraft Foods Inc.
6.75% Notes due 2014
Registration Statement on Form S-3
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Virginia counsel to Kraft Foods Inc., a Virginia corporation (the “Company”), for the purpose of providing this opinion in connection with the Company’s offering and sale of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 6.75% Notes due 2014 (the “Notes”) pursuant to the Terms Agreement, dated as of December 16, 2008 (the “Terms Agreement” and, collectively with the Amended and Restated Underwriting Agreement, dated as of December 5, 2007, which is incorporated by reference in the Terms Agreement, the “Underwriting Agreement”), among the Company and BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named in Schedule A to the Terms Agreement.
The Notes will be issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of October 17, 2001 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas (as successor to The Bank of New York and The Chase Manhattan Bank), as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Notes are being offered and sold as described in the prospectus, dated December 4, 2007 and the prospectus supplement thereto, dated December 16, 2008 (collectively, the “Prospectus”).
This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 16 of Form S-3 and Item 601(b)(5)(i) of Regulation S-K.
In connection with this opinion, we have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such corporate records, certificates of corporate officers and public officials and such other documents as we have deemed necessary for the purposes of rendering this opinion, including, among other things, (i) the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company, each as amended through the date hereof, (ii) the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-147829) (the “Registration Statement”) filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on December 4,
Kraft Foods Inc.
December 19, 2008
Page 2
2007, and the Prospectus, (iii) the Indenture, (iv) the Underwriting Agreement (including the Terms Agreement), (v) the Notes in global form, (vi) certain resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company adopted on March 16, 2001, July 2, 2007 and October 4, 2007, as certified by the Vice President and Corporate Secretary of the Company on the date hereof as being true, complete and correct and in full force and effect, relating to, among other things, the execution and delivery of the Terms Agreement, the delivery of the Underwriting Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Notes (the “Board Resolutions”), (viii) the officers’ certificate dated as of the date hereof executed by duly authorized officers of the Company establishing the terms of the Notes pursuant to the Board Resolutions and (ix) a certificate issued by the State Corporation Commission of the Commonwealth of Virginia on October 20, 2008 and confirmed on the date hereof, to the effect that the Company is existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and in good standing.
For purposes of the opinions expressed below, we have assumed (i) the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, (ii) the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted as certified, photostatic or electronic copies and the authenticity of the originals thereof, (iii) the genuineness of signatures not witnessed by us and (iv) the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by all parties and the validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof on such parties (other than the authorization, execution and delivery of documents by the Company and the validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof upon the Company). As to questions of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon the accuracy of the certificates and other comparable documents of officers and representatives of the Company, upon statements made to us in discussions with the Company’s management and upon certificates of public officials. Except as otherwise expressly indicated, we have not undertaken any independent investigation of factual matters.
We do not purport to express an opinion on any laws other than those of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
2. The Notes have been duly authorized by the Company and the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.
Kraft Foods Inc.
December 19, 2008
Page 3
The opinions set forth above are subject to the qualifications that (a) the validity and enforcement of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and the underlying Indenture may be subject to the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and to general equity principles and any implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing (whether considered in proceeding at law or in equity) and (b) the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as Exhibit 5.2 to the Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by the Company relating to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
This opinion letter is rendered as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any obligation to advise you of facts, circumstances, events or developments that hereafter may be brought to our attention and that may alter, affect or modify the opinion expressed herein. Our opinion is expressly limited to the matters set forth above and we render no opinion, whether by implication or otherwise, as to any other matters relating to the Company.
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Very truly yours, |
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/s/ Hunton & Williams LLP |
Hunton & Williams |