Tastemakers Terms and Conditions

Last updated: July 07, 2025

Welcome to Tastemakers, a monthly cooking competition based in New Zealand. These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your subscription to and participation in the Tastemakers cooking competition ("Competition") and your use of our website and services ("Services"). By subscribing, participating or accessing our Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with these Terms, you may not participate in the Competition or use our Services.

1. Eligibility

Age Requirement: Participants must be at least 18 years of age or have permission from a parent or legal guardian if under 18.
Residency: The Competition is open to residents of Auckland, New Zealand. Participants must have a valid Auckland metro address.
Account Registration: To participate, you must create an account on our website and provide accurate, complete and up-to-date information, including your name, email address and payment details.
Exclusions: Employees, contractors or immediate family members of Tastemakers or its affiliates are not eligible to participate in the Competition.

2. Subscription and Payment

Subscription: Tastemakers operates on a monthly subscription model. By subscribing, you agree to pay the monthly fee on the 1st of each month to be eligible for that month’s Competition.
Payment: Payments are processed via Stripe and must be made in New Zealand Dollars (NZD). A 2.5% surcharge may apply to credit card payments.
Automatic Renewal: Subscriptions automatically renew on the 1st of each month unless canceled prior. You may cancel your subscription at any time before the next billing cycle by contacting us at support@tastemakers.co.nz or through your account settings.
Mystery Box Delivery: As part of the subscription, Tastemakers will deliver a monthly mystery box containing ingredients or materials for the Competition to your preferred address, as provided during account registration or updated in your account settings.
- Delivery Address: You are responsible for providing an accurate and complete delivery address. Tastemakers is not liable for any delays, losses, or non-delivery due to incorrect or incomplete address information provided by you.
- Delivery Issues: Tastemakers uses third-party courier services for deliveries. We are not liable for any issues arising during transit, including but not limited to delays, damaged products, incorrect products, or product spoilage (e.g., perishable items going off due to delivery delays or improper handling after delivery).
- Inspection and Reporting: You must inspect the box upon receipt and report any issues (e.g., incorrect or damaged items) to support@tastemakers.co.nz within 24 hours of delivery. Tastemakers may, at its discretion, provide a replacement for the affected items, subject to availability and verification.
- Storage and Handling: You are responsible for storing perishable items appropriately upon receipt. Tastemakers is not liable for spoilage or degradation of products due to improper storage or handling after delivery.
- Delivery Risks: By subscribing, you acknowledge that delivery of perishable goods carries inherent risks, and Tastemakers is not responsible for factors outside our control, such as courier delays or environmental conditions.
Non-Refundable: Subscription fees, including those covering mystery box delivery, are non-refundable, except as required by New Zealand consumer law. If you cancel mid-month, you will retain access to the Competition for the remainder of the paid month.
Failed Payments: If a payment fails, Tastemakers may suspend your access to the Competition and mystery box delivery until payment is successfully processed. We will notify you via email to resolve payment issues.

3. Competition Rules

Monthly Competition: The Competition occurs monthly in Auckland, New Zealand. Subscribers who have paid the monthly fee by the 1st of the month are eligible to participate in that month’s event.
Participation: Participants must adhere to the Competition guidelines, including any theme or ingredient restrictions, as outlined in the event details. Failure to comply may result in disqualification.
Judging: Rankings are judged by verified Tasteraters based on criteria such as presentation, use of product and creativity. Judges’ decisions are final.
Prizes: Prizes, if any, will be announced prior to each Competition. Prizes are non-transferable and have no cash alternative unless otherwise stated.
Conduct: Tastemakers reserves the right to disqualify participants for inappropriate behaviour or conduct.

4. Cancellations and Refunds

Cancellation: Tastemakers reserves the right to cancel or reschedule a Competition due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., insufficient participants, or force majeure). In such cases, subscribers will be notified promptly and a refund or credit for the affected month’s subscription fee may be provided at Tastemakers’ discretion.
Participant Pausing: If you cannot compete for a month, you are able to pause your account for up to three months. You must notify us at least 5 business days in advance at support@tastemakers.co.nz. We will put your subscription on hold for the requested time.
Participant Withdrawal: You must notify us at least 5 business days in advance of the next monthly competition to cancel your subscription at support@tastemakers.co.nz.

5. Intellectual Property

Recipes and Content: By submitting recipes or content to the Competition, you grant Tastemakers and product partners a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, reproduce, and display such content for promotional purposes related to the Competition.
Photography and Media: Tastemakers may photograph or record the monthly Competition. By participating, you consent to the use of your likeness, voice, or submitted content in Tastemakers’ promotional materials without additional compensation.

6. Liability and Safety

Allergens: Tastemakers cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment.
Safety: Participants are responsible for following safety guidelines during the Competition, including proper handling of kitchen equipment. Tastemakers is not liable for injuries caused by participant negligence.
Limitation of Liability: To the extent permitted by New Zealand law, Tastemakers is not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from participation in the Competition, use of our Services, or delivery of the mystery box.

7. Privacy

Data Collection: Tastemakers collects personal information (e.g., name, email, payment details, delivery address) to manage subscriptions, Competition participation, and mystery box delivery. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for details on how we collect, use, and store your information.
Contact: For privacy-related inquiries, contact support@tastemakers.co.nz

8. Termination

Tastemakers reserves the right to terminate your subscription or participation in the Competition if you breach these Terms, provide false information, or engage in conduct deemed detrimental to the Competition or other participants.
Upon termination, you will no longer have access to the Competition or mystery box delivery, and no refunds will be issued for the current billing cycle.

9. Amendments

Tastemakers may update these Terms at any time. Changes will be posted on our website, and continued use of our Services or participation in the Competition constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

10. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand. Any disputes will be resolved in the courts of Auckland, New Zealand.

11. Contact Us

For questions, feedback, or concerns, contact us at:
- Email: support@tastemakers.co.nz
- Address: Tastemakers, 206 Beach Haven Road, Auckland, New Zealand

By subscribing to Tastemakers, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms and Conditions.