SEED TO CUP CAMPAIGN TERMS
These Campaign Terms apply to participation in the Madagascar Coffee Company Seed to Cup Campaign.
By purchasing a campaign tier or reward, you agree to these Campaign Terms together with MCC’s Refund Policy, Shipping Policy, Privacy Policy, product descriptions, and other terms displayed at checkout.
Purpose of the Campaign
Seed to Cup is designed to support Madagascar Coffee Company’s efforts to expand specialty coffee production and market access from Madagascar.
Campaign proceeds may support activities including:
- coffee purchasing and processing;
- farmer and grower support;
- nurseries and coffee-tree planting;
- model-farm development;
- agroforestry;
- processing infrastructure;
- quality improvement;
- traceability;
- marketing;
- campaign fulfillment; and
- other activities connected with MCC’s coffee business and mission.
Unless expressly stated otherwise for a particular transaction, campaign funds are not restricted charitable donations and MCC may allocate campaign proceeds among these activities according to operational needs.
CAMPAIGN TARGET AND BELOW-GOAL PROCESS
The campaign’s full funding target is $150,000. If total commitments are below that amount when the campaign closes, MCC will evaluate the commitments received and may present backers with a revised implementation and fulfillment plan. MCC will disclose any material changes to project scope, timing or reward fulfillment and request each affected backer’s affirmative confirmation. MCC will determine whether the revised plan will proceed after the confirmation period. A backer who does not confirm will not participate under the revised plan. If participation is canceled, MCC will ensure that payment is not captured or will issue the applicable refund, depending on the payment status.
Campaign Purchases Are Not Investments
Participation in Seed-to-Cup does not constitute an investment in MCC.
A campaign participant receives only the products, access, recognition, experiences, reserved purchase opportunities or rights, and other benefits specifically described for the purchased tier.
Participation does not provide:
- equity;
- shares;
- securities;
- ownership of MCC;
- voting rights;
- dividends;
- profit participation;
- repayment rights;
- interest;
- ownership of farmland;
- ownership of coffee trees;
- ownership of a harvest;
- security interests;
- creditor rights; or
- governance rights.
Nothing on the Seed-to-Cup website should be interpreted as an offer or solicitation to purchase securities.
Not a Charitable Contribution
Unless MCC expressly states otherwise in writing, Seed to Cup purchases are commercial transactions and are not charitable donations.
MCC does not represent that campaign payments are tax deductible.
Participants should consult their own tax adviser regarding the treatment of any payment.
Agricultural Nature of the Campaign
Coffee is an agricultural product.
Actual results can vary because of:
- rainfall;
- drought;
- storms;
- cyclones;
- soil conditions;
- plant survival;
- pests;
- disease;
- flowering;
- pollination;
- harvest timing;
- farmer participation;
- processing results;
- logistics;
- quality outcomes; and
- other factors.
Images, forecasts, production estimates, harvest estimates, tree numbers, farmer numbers, income estimates, hectares, environmental outcomes, and impact metrics represent MCC’s plans,
estimates, targets, expectations, or historical information unless expressly stated otherwise.
They should not be interpreted as guarantees of a specific agricultural, financial, social, or environmental result.
Program Support and Attribution
Higher Seed-to-Cup tiers help support the broader system required to build Madagascar's future coffee supply.
Campaign activities may include nursery development, tree planting, model-farm establishment, outgrower recruitment and support, agronomy, agroforestry, processing, quality, traceability, market development, and campaign fulfillment.
Campaign funds may be pooled with MCC resources, other campaign contributions, grants, investment, partner funding, and project resources so the broader program can be implemented efficiently.
A tier name or description does not mean that a participant's payment is restricted to, or purchases, a particular tree, hectare, farmer, farm, nursery, parcel, or activity unless MCC expressly agrees otherwise in writing.
Founder and Partner Designations
Founder, Roaster Founder, Founding Origin Partner, Founder Roll, and similar designations represent campaign recognition, access, or a commercial relationship as described for the applicable tier.
These designations do not convey:
- title to or a leasehold interest in land;
- ownership of a nursery, coffee tree, crop, or future harvest;
- a lien, security interest, or creditor right;
- equity, governance rights, or operational control;
- territorial, sourcing, or marketing exclusivity; or
- ownership of farmer relationships or production.
MCC retains responsibility for agricultural, sourcing, processing, quality, commercial, and operational decisions. Public Founder or partner recognition is optional and subject to the participant's consent.
Coffee Rewards
Coffee is a natural product, and its characteristics vary by harvest.
Differences may occur in:
- variety;
- screen size;
- moisture and density;
- appearance;
- flavor and cup profile;
- roast performance;
- quality score; and
-availability.
References to expected flavor profiles, quality levels, cup scores, regions, farms, processing methods, or lots are based on MCC's reasonable expectations but do not guarantee that every coffee will have identical characteristics.
Future Coffee and Qualifying Harvests
Coffee included in the original Coffee Lover reward consists of the current-coffee shipment or shipments stated for that tier. Future Seed to Cup coffee offered through Founder access is not prepaid and is purchased separately.
A qualifying harvest year is a harvest year in which MCC determines that Seed to Cup coffee meets the quality, volume, and commercial-readiness requirements for a Founder or trade release. The first qualifying model-farm lots are currently expected beginning in 2030, but this timing is an estimate and not a guarantee.
Future coffee remains subject to successful production, quality control, sufficient qualifying volume, logistics, regulatory requirements, and MCC's decision to make a commercial release.
If coffee that has been separately purchased under a confirmed order cannot reasonably be supplied, MCC may offer a substantially comparable or higher-value substitute or handle the affected order under its Refund Policy and applicable law. This substitution obligation does not apply merely because a reserved future purchase opportunity cannot be exercised when no qualifying coffee is available.
Reserved Purchase Opportunities and Rights
Certain Coffee Lover tiers include a reserved purchase opportunity, and certain Roaster Founder tiers include a reserved purchase right. Both provide defined priority access to purchase qualifying future coffee; neither is prepaid coffee, guaranteed production, a fixed future price, ownership of future production, or a binding future sale.
Coffee Lover Founder access
- Founder Reserve: up to 9 x 12 oz (340 g) bags in each of the first three qualifying harvest years; access begins 3 days before the general Founder release.
- Origin Circle: up to 18 x 12 oz (340 g) bags in each of the first three qualifying harvest years; access begins 10 days before the general Founder release.
- Private Reserve Founder: up to 36 x 12 oz (340 g) bags in each of the first three qualifying harvest years; access begins 14 days before the general Founder release.
- First Taste and Founder Series do not include a reserved future-coffee quantity.
Roaster Founder access
- Founding Roaster: up to 180 kg in each of the first three qualifying harvest years; purchase window begins 10 days before general trade availability.
- Founding Lot Partner: up to 360 kg in each of the first three qualifying harvest years; purchase window begins 20 days before general trade availability.
- Founding Program Partner: up to 780 kg in each of the first three qualifying harvest years; purchase window begins 30 days before
general trade availability.
- Founding Origin Partner: up to 2,520 kg in each of the first three qualifying harvest years; first private purchase opportunity before all other Roaster Founder windows. Only two Founding Origin Partner positions are available.
- Sample Founder does not include a reserved future quantity.
When qualifying coffee becomes available, MCC will provide applicable specifications, price, available quantity, fulfillment or commercial terms, and a deadline. MCC will hold up to the quantity associated with the eligible tier during its access window and will not offer that reserved coffee to lower-priority tiers or other buyers during that window.
The participant exercises the opportunity or right by completing the required order, purchase agreement, deposit, or payment before the stated deadline. Coffee not purchased before the deadline may be released to other Founders, partners, or buyers.
If qualifying volume is insufficient to fulfill all reserved quantities, coffee will be allocated according to tier priority and then proportionally among participants at the same tier.
Reserved purchase opportunities and rights apply separately in each qualifying harvest year, do not roll forward, are personal to the participant, and cannot be transferred or resold. Future coffee, taxes, shipping, freight, duties, and other commercial costs are priced separately. The current campaign tiers do not include discounts on future coffee.
Estimated Delivery Dates
Fulfillment dates displayed in the campaign are based on MCC’s current operational plans.
Because several rewards depend on agricultural production and international logistics, dates may change.
MCC will make commercially reasonable efforts to fulfill rewards according to the stated schedule and will communicate material delays.
Where applicable law requires a customer’s consent to a revised shipment date or allows cancellation following a delay, MCC will honor those requirements.
Substitutions
MCC may make reasonable substitutions when an originally planned reward becomes unavailable.
Any substitute will be intended to provide substantially comparable or greater value.
Examples include:
- changing a coffee lot because of quality;
- replacing a harvest with a subsequent harvest;
- changing packaging;
- replacing an unavailable branded item;
- delivering an equivalent digital recognition benefit; or
- adjusting the implementation site for an impact activity.
Material substitutions affecting the core economic value of a reward will be communicated to the participant.
Campaign Changes
MCC may adjust campaign operations, implementation activities, participating farmers, model-farm plans, agricultural methods, suppliers, fulfillment providers, logistics arrangements, or campaign schedules when reasonably necessary.
MCC will not use this right to remove a material purchased reward without providing an appropriate substitute, credit, refund, or other remedy where legally required.
Routine operational adjustments that do not materially reduce a purchased reward do not require renewed confirmation. However, MCC will not proceed with a backer under a materially revised below-goal plan unless that backer affirmatively confirms participation.
Recognition and Publicity
Some tiers include optional Founder Roll recognition, partner recognition, storytelling collaboration, or similar benefits.
Public recognition is optional. Participation does not give MCC permission to publish an individual's name or to use a photograph, trademark, company name, or logo publicly without the participant's consent or another lawful basis.
Where material public or commercial use is contemplated, MCC may request approval or necessary branding assets.
MCC retains reasonable discretion concerning placement, format, design, and duration unless the tier expressly states otherwise.
Experiences, Cuppings, and Events
Where a campaign benefit includes a tasting, cupping, event, meeting, training, or similar activity, dates may be subject to scheduling and may be modified for safety, weather, security, agricultural, or operational reasons.
Private Reserve Founder includes one annual Founder Cupping from 2027 through 2030, planned as an in-person gathering in Washington, D.C., with live virtual participation available. Admission covers the Founder and one guest, or one virtual household registration. Coffee will be provided at the physical event, and one tasting kit will be shipped to a U.S. address for virtual participants.
Event dates will be announced at least 90 days in advance. Travel and accommodations are not included. If an in-person event cannot be held, MCC may deliver the cupping virtually with U.S. tasting kits.
For other events or experiences, travel, passports, visas, insurance, transportation, accommodation, medical requirements, and personal expenses are not included unless expressly stated. Reasonable participation and safety requirements may apply.
Resale and Transfer
Campaign rights and benefits are intended for the original purchaser.
Reserved future purchase opportunities and rights are personal to the Founder or partner, do not roll forward from one qualifying harvest year to another, and cannot be transferred or resold.
MCC may decline the resale, assignment, or transfer of personalized credentials, recognition, event access, commercial access, or other non-product benefits without prior written approval. Ordinary physical products received through the campaign may generally be transferred after delivery, subject to
applicable law.
Prohibited Conduct
Participants may not:
- misuse MCC trademarks or campaign materials;
- misrepresent a relationship with MCC;
- falsely claim ownership of MCC assets, farms, coffee trees, or farmer relationships;
- resell campaign access in a misleading manner;
- interfere with campaign operations;
- use campaign participation for unlawful purposes; or
- engage in fraud or abuse.
MCC may suspend unfulfilled non-product benefits associated with serious fraudulent or abusive conduct, subject to applicable law.
Intellectual Property
MCC retains ownership of its trademarks, branding, photographs, videos, text, reports, designs, agricultural
materials, website content, and other intellectual property unless expressly stated otherwise.
A participant’s receipt of campaign materials does not transfer intellectual-property ownership.
Force Majeure
MCC will not be responsible for delays or failures caused by events outside its reasonable control, including natural disasters, extreme weather, crop failure, disease, pest outbreaks, fire, strikes, war, civil unrest, government actions, port closures, customs restrictions, carrier disruptions, infrastructure failures, or similar events.
This provision does not eliminate rights that applicable consumer law does not permit MCC to waive.
Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, MCC’s aggregate liability arising from a particular campaign purchase will not exceed the amount the participant paid to MCC for that purchase.
MCC will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, punitive, exemplary, or consequential losses, including lost profits or lost business opportunities, arising from campaign participation, except where such limitations are prohibited by law.
Nothing in these terms excludes liability that cannot legally be limited or excluded.
No Guarantee of Commercial Results
Trade participants remain responsible for their own purchasing, roasting, importing, distribution, sales, marketing, tax, legal, and business decisions.
MCC does not guarantee that campaign participation will result in:
- increased sales;
- customer acquisition;
- marketing exposure;
- resale margins;
- investment returns;
- particular coffee scores; or
- other commercial outcomes.
Taxes, Duties, and Regulatory Requirements
Participants are responsible for taxes, customs duties, import requirements, licenses, and similar obligations applicable to them unless MCC expressly agrees otherwise.
Separate Commercial Agreements
A roaster, importer, distributor, commercial buyer, sponsor, or other trade participant may subsequently enter into a separate agreement with MCC.
If that agreement conflicts with these Campaign Terms, the separately signed agreement will govern the matters it specifically addresses.
Governing Law
To the extent permitted by applicable law, these Campaign Terms and transactions with MCC’s U.S. entity will be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to conflict-of-law rules.
Mandatory consumer rights available under the laws of a participant’s jurisdiction remain unaffected where they cannot legally be waived.
Dispute Resolution
Before initiating formal proceedings, we encourage participants to contact MCC and allow us a reasonable opportunity to resolve the issue directly.
Nothing in these Campaign Terms prevents a consumer from exercising rights that applicable law provides through courts, consumer authorities, payment providers, or other legally protected processes.
Severability
If any provision of these Campaign Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain effective to the maximum extent permitted by law.
Entire Campaign Agreement
The applicable campaign page, tier description, checkout information, these Campaign Terms, and the referenced website policies collectively form the agreement governing the campaign purchase unless MCC and the participant sign a separate written agreement.
Updates
MCC may update these Campaign Terms for future purchases.
The terms in effect when an order is placed will govern that order unless a later change is required by law or is expressly accepted by both parties.