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Terms of service

Last updated April 2026

The following terms and conditions (“Terms”) constitute a binding agreement between you and Palate Holdings Inc., its affiliates, and its and their parent and subsidiary companies (collectively, “Palate,” “we,” or “us”) with respect to your use of this website and any other websites, micro-sites, and social media pages and accounts operated by Palate under the “Palate Project” brand (collectively, the “Sites”), all Palate-owned mobile applications (collectively, the “Applications”), and the services available on such platforms (together with the Sites and the Applications, the “Services”), including any Content (as defined below).

By using palateproject.co (or any applicable domain), you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use or access the Sites, Applications, or Services for any purpose.

Additional policies, terms, and conditions applicable to certain Services, specific areas of the Sites or Applications, or to particular content or transactions, may also be posted in certain areas of the Sites or Applications and, together with these Terms, govern your use of those areas. Any such additional policies, terms, and conditions are incorporated into these Terms. If any inconsistency exists between these Terms and such additional policies, terms, and conditions, the additional policies, terms, and conditions applicable to those specific areas will control with respect to those areas.

Palate reserves the right to cancel and/or terminate any user’s account for any violation of these Terms or other applicable terms. Fraudulent behavior, including creating multiple accounts to obtain additional benefits, spamming, abusive conduct, or misuse of the Services, will not be tolerated.

The Sale of Alcoholic Beverages

By using this site you swear and affirm that you are over the age of 21. We do not sell or deliver alcoholic beverages to anyone who is under the age of 21. You must be 21 years of age or older to purchase from our Sites. The purchase of alcohol by persons under the age of 21 is strictly prohibited by law. By placing an order on the Sites, you are expressly warranting that you are at least 21 years of age, and that the person who will receive the order is also at least 21 years of age. A valid government-issued ID will be required upon delivery. If you intentionally or unintentionally misrepresent your age in order to provide alcohol to a person under the age of 21, palateproject.co will prosecute you fully to the extent allowable by law.

Any items purchased from the Sites will be delivered with an “Adult Signature Required” designation, and the third party carrier that delivers the items must verify identification upon delivery. Please note you, or someone at least 21 years or older, must be present at the time of delivery. Please consider arranging for delivery to a business location to avoid undue delay.

Palate Discovery Project

By enrolling in the Palate Discovery Project, you expressly acknowledge and agree that your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing cycle unless you cancel in accordance with these Terms. You authorize Palate to charge your payment method on a recurring basis without further authorization from you, until you cancel.

You may subscribe to the “Palate Discovery Project” by providing the requested registration information and submitting it through the Sites or Applications.

  1. By subscribing to the Palate Discovery Project and placing an order, you agree to receive recurring shipments of sake from Palate. The first shipment (the “Welcome Box”) will be shipped within a few days after your initial purchase. Thereafter, shipments will be made every three (3) months, regardless of the subscription plan selected. Each shipment will include products selected and determined by Palate in accordance with the plan you choose. Shipping and handling charges, if any, will be determined in accordance with Palate’s applicable shipping policy.
  2. At the time of subscription, you may select either a three (3)-month renewal plan or an annual renewal plan. The renewal date shall be the date on which the applicable payment is processed (“Renewal Date”). By providing your payment information, you authorize Palate to charge your payment method on each Renewal Date, including applicable taxes and any shipping and handling charges. You may update your payment method through your account page, provided that any such update is completed prior to the applicable Renewal Date. The initial payment will be charged at the time of purchase. For the three (3)-month plan, payments will be processed every three (3) months, and for the annual plan, payments will be processed once per year.
  3. Each initial subscription and each subsequent renewal shall result in a confirmed order corresponding to the selected plan once payment has been processed. Once such payment has been processed, the order is final and cannot be modified, canceled, or refunded. Any returns after shipment will be handled in accordance with Palate’s standard return policy, which applies independently of the subscription program.
  4. You may update your delivery information through your account page. Any updates must be completed prior to the order processing date (“Order Processing Date”). Changes made after the Order Processing Date will not apply to the applicable shipment.

  5. You may cancel your subscription or skip a shipment through your account page, subject to the following:

    Cancellation
    You may cancel your subscription at any time through your account page. Cancellation must be completed prior to the applicable Renewal Date to avoid being charged for the next billing cycle. Palate provides an easy-to-use online cancellation mechanism that is accessible through your account page.
    Skip
    You may skip an upcoming shipment by completing the skip request prior to the applicable Order Processing Date. The “Order Processing Date” is determined by Palate and may be communicated via your account or by email. If a skip request is not completed before the Order Processing Date, the shipment will be processed as scheduled.
    Quarterly Plan
    If you skip a shipment, no charge will be applied for the skipped shipment. The skipped shipment will not be delivered, and will not carry over. The next shipment will be the next scheduled shipment, and the next Renewal Date and shipment date will be three (3) months after the skipped shipment.
    Annual Plan
    If you skip a shipment, no charge will be applied for the skipped shipment. The skipped shipment will not be delivered and will not carry over. The next shipment will be the next scheduled shipment. The next Renewal Date will be extended by a period corresponding to the skipped shipment. Skipped shipments do not reduce the total number of shipments included in the subscription, and the remaining shipments will be fulfilled based on future scheduled shipments.

    For annual plans, cancellation during the subscription term shall be treated as cancellation of automatic renewal only. No refunds will be provided for any unused portion of the subscription period, and all remaining shipments corresponding to payments already made will continue to be fulfilled.

  6. Shipment schedules are fixed and cannot be modified. Requests to accelerate, delay, or otherwise change shipment timing, including immediate shipment requests, will not be accepted. If you may be unable to receive a shipment, you must either skip the shipment or update your delivery address through your account page prior to the Order Processing Date. The contents of each shipment are determined by Palate and cannot be changed.
  7. If you register for the Palate Discovery Project, you agree to provide accurate and complete information, including but not limited to your legal name, age, billing address, delivery address (if different), email address, and telephone number. You represent and warrant that your use of a payment method is authorized and lawful. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for any activity conducted under your account.
  8. You are responsible for keeping your registration and payment information accurate and up to date, and for promptly notifying your payment provider of any unauthorized use.

Subscription Termination

You may cancel your subscription in accordance with the cancellation policy described above.

Palate may suspend or terminate your subscription and refuse any current or future use of the services if: (1) required by applicable law, (2) you provide information that is untrue, inaccurate, not current, or incomplete, (3) you use the service in a manner that violates these Terms, or (4) Palate determines, in its reasonable discretion, that such action is appropriate.

Returns and Cancellations

If you received defective merchandise (non-consumable items), the product can be exchanged or refunded within 7 days of the order reflecting a DELIVERED status. Please note that the return may be done at the expense of the customer. Orders refused, canceled, or otherwise requested as a return after the order is sent to a third-party carrier for delivery will incur a restocking fee equal to the greater of (i) 20% of the total order amount, including shipping, handling, and applicable taxes, or (ii) $20 USD. Fees assessed for payment to the third-party carrier are non-refundable. While we work with our partners to ensure you are purchasing sake that is of the finest quality, sake purchased that is older than 1 year cannot be guaranteed in any way.

Privacy Policy

Your use of the Sites, Applications and Services is subject to our Privacy Notice located at palateproject.co/policies/privacy-policy, incorporated herein by reference, which applies to the collection, use, disclosure and other processing of personal information by Palate.

Security Policy

Your payment and personal information is always safe. Our Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) software is the industry standard and among the best software available today for secure commerce transactions. It encrypts all of your personal information, including credit card number, name, and address, so that it cannot be read over the internet.

Terms of Sale (Title and Fulfillment)

Alcoholic beverages are sold by licensed entities within the Palate group, which may include subsidiaries. Palate Holdings Inc. provides the online platform and related services. Products and services are presented for customers only in the United States. Palate makes no representation that the Palate Services are appropriate or available outside of the United States.

By placing an order with Palate, you are expressly representing and warranting that you have reviewed any pertinent local and state laws before purchasing alcohol on this website and that your purchase complies with all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations. Palate makes no representation regarding the legality of shipping alcoholic beverages to any jurisdiction except to the extent such shipment is authorized under applicable licenses, permits, or law.

If one or more items are not available for shipment, we will notify you to offer substitutions or make other arrangements.

We are unable to ship to P.O. mailboxes. Sales are void where prohibited, only available in the U.S.

Title, Ownership and Taxes

Except for orders going to states in which we are licensed, have a direct-to-consumer shipping permit, or where shipments are otherwise authorized (“Permit States”), title to and ownership of the sake alcoholic beverages passes from us to you in California and are delivered to you in California, and you take full responsibility for the product being transported from California to your selected destination. Applicable sales tax will be applied to these transactions, and your sake order will be stored on your behalf at our facility prior to fulfillment. For orders going to Permit States, title to and ownership of products passes from us to you in accordance with applicable requirements, and Sales and other applicable taxes will be applied based on the requirements of the destination state.

Fulfillment

For Orders being shipped to you in Permit States, Palate will ship the product. For all other states, Palate does not, itself, provide shipping services. You may pick up your products at our location in California, make independent delivery arrangements, or direct Palate to forward your products to our independent partner storage/shipping company that offers storage and shipping according to your direction. We will temporarily store your products in our facility pending your selection for fulfillment.

Shipping

By arranging for transportation of alcoholic beverages by a third-party carrier, Palate is providing a service to, and acting on behalf of you. Palate makes no representation as to the legal rights of anyone to deliver or import any alcoholic beverages or other goods into any state. The orders where you ask Palate to arrange for transportation and delivery on your behalf, you warrant that you are solely responsible for the transport of the purchased products and for determining the legality and the tax/duty consequences of bringing the products to your chosen destination. By placing an order with us, you acknowledge that you are at least 21 years old, and that the person to whom products will be delivered is also at least 21 years old. The person receiving delivery will be required to show identification proving that he or she is at least 21 years old.

All shipping costs, including insurance, assessed by the third-party carrier are to be paid by you, the purchaser. An insurance fee may be placed on transportation arrangements for rare or expensive items. Palate provides transportation coordination as a complimentary service and does not profit from any delivery arrangements we make for you. Palate makes no warranties or guarantees regarding the transportation or delivery by the third-party common carrier.

Risk of Loss

All Orders being shipped to you in Permit States, are made pursuant to a shipment contract. This means that the risk of loss and title for such items pass to you upon our delivery to the carrier.

The risk of loss and title for all other states passes from us to you upon purchase and product placement in our partner storage facility.

Weather Conditions

Palate suggests that you refrain from requesting shipment during extremely hot or cold weather. Palate does not guarantee that third party carriers have temperature-controlled warehouses. If you must request shipping during extreme weather conditions, we encourage you to place your order at the beginning of the week using a speedier service than ground to avoid weekend layovers in a carrier's warehouse. Palate reserves the right to delay releasing your merchandise to the third-party carrier for shipment in order to ensure that the product you receive is of the highest quality possible.

Estimated Shipping Times

Estimated shipping times do not include weekends or holidays. Most orders leave our store within 1–4 business days. Palate does not guarantee any estimated shipping time. For more precise information, please contact the third-party carrier who is contracted to deliver your merchandise. Processing time is not included in these delivery times.

Overnight, 2nd Day, and 3-Day Air services are available at an additional cost, as assessed by the third-party carrier. If special delivery dates or immediate shipment is required, please contact us.

Most orders are delivered within 14 business days of purchase, depending on the destination.

Palate Product Review Guidelines

We invite customer participation and product feedback through our review program. We appreciate your engagement but must limit the scope of the reviews to your personal evaluation of the selected sake. Palate reserves the right to remove any reviews that contain obscene, profane or spiteful comments. As well, reviews should remain on the topic of the product itself, not your experience with the service or comments about our listings. Reviews not following these guidelines will be removed. Please use our contact form to provide feedback about any other aspect of your experience with Palate.

User Generated Content License

By submitting, posting, or otherwise providing any content to Palate, including but not limited to product reviews, comments, feedback, images, or other materials (“User Content”), you grant Palate a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, fully paid, non-exclusive, transferable, and sublicensable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, and display such User Content in any media or format now known or hereafter developed.

This license includes the right to use User Content for commercial purposes, including marketing, advertising, promotional materials, and social media. You represent and warrant that:

  1. you own or control all rights in and to the User Content you submit;
  2. the User Content is accurate and not misleading; and
  3. the use of such User Content by Palate will not violate any rights of any third party, including intellectual property, privacy, or publicity rights.

Palate reserves the right, but not the obligation, to monitor, edit, or remove User Content at its sole discretion.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Palate may agree with you separately on specific terms regarding the use of certain User Content.

Miscellaneous Terms and Conditions

Links

The Sites may contain links to other web sites or resources. These links are provided for your convenience only. You acknowledge and agree that Palate is not responsible or liable for (1) the availability or accuracy of such web sites or resources; or (2) the content, advertising, products or services on or available from such web sites or resources. Palate has no control over third-party websites and we are not responsible for the content of such websites or the privacy practices of those third-party websites and the inclusion of any link on the Sites does not imply that Palate endorses the linked site. If you decide to access a third-party website linked from the Sites or Applications, you do so entirely at your own risk and your use of those sites is subject to those websites’ terms and conditions and privacy policies.

Gift Certificates

Gift certificates must be redeemed through the Palate website (www.palateproject.co) toward the purchase of products listed in Palate’s online catalog. Gift Cards and their use are subject to these Terms. In order to purchase a Gift Card, you will need to provide certain information, including but not limited to, recipient email address, recipient name, and a valid credit card number. Gift certificates cannot be used to purchase gift certificates or gift cards, such as Palate Gift Certificates. Gift certificates are not redeemable for cash and cannot be returned for a cash refund, except to the extent required by law. Any unused balance will be placed in the recipient's gift certificate account and is not transferable. Gift Cards do not have an expiration date. If your order exceeds the amount of your gift certificate, you must pay for the balance with a credit card.

Palate's gift certificates are issued and sold by us. By visiting The Sites, you agree that the laws of the state of California, without regard to principles of conflict of laws, will govern these gift certificate terms and conditions.

If your Gift Card is lost or stolen and you have proof of purchase, Palate (in its sole discretion) may issue a replacement for the balance shown in its records. Palate is not responsible if a Gift Card is lost, stolen, destroyed, or used without your permission.

Promo and Coupon Code Terms

Palate promotions cannot be combined with other offers, including shipping discounts and may not apply to all bottles. Palate promotions cannot be applied retroactively. Promotional shipping cannot be used in AL, AK, HI, MS, or UT and only applies to FedEx Ground shipping.

Promo and Vouchers from Third-Party Sites

Occasionally coupons and promos we run are shared on third-party coupon and user submitted deals sites. Many of these coupon codes become expired and are not updated to reflect that on these third-party websites. We do not have any control over the posting of coupons and the content of any of these websites, as such we cannot honor coupon codes or promotions that have become expired.

Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SITES, APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES AND THE CONTENT PROVIDED ON OR THROUGH THE SITES, APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES IS PROVIDED TO YOU ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, AND PALATE HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ACCURACY, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. NEITHER PALATE NOR ANY PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH PALATE MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPLETENESS, SECURITY, RELIABILITY, QUALITY, ACCURACY OR AVAILABILITY OF THE SITES AND APPLICATIONS OR THEIR CONTENT. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, NEITHER PALATE NOR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH PALATE REPRESENTS OR WARRANTS THAT THE SITES, APPLICATIONS, SERVICES OR THE CONTENT WILL BE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, ERROR-FREE OR UNINTERRUPTED, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, THAT THE SITES OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES THEM AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS OR THAT THE SITES AND APPLICATIONS OR THEIR CONTENT WILL OTHERWISE MEET YOUR NEEDS OR EXPECTATIONS.

Limitation of Liability

IN NO EVENT WILL PALATE, ITS LICENSORS OR CONTENT PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, UNDER ANY LEGAL THEORY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE SITES, APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES OR TO REDEEM A GIFT CARD, OR ANY CONTENT, INCLUDING ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER, WHETHER CAUSED BY TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), BREACH OF CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF FORESEEABLE. USE OF THE SITES, APPLICATIONS, SERVICES OR THEIR CONTENT IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK. IN THE EVENT A GIFT CARD IS NON-FUNCTIONAL, YOUR SOLE REMEDY, AND PALATE’S SOLE LIABILITY, SHALL BE THE REPLACEMENT OF SUCH GIFT CARD.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL PALATE’S TOTAL LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS, THE SITES, APPLICATIONS, SERVICES, OR ANY PRODUCTS PURCHASED THROUGH THE SITES EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT PAID BY YOU TO PALATE FOR THE APPLICABLE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM.

THE FOREGOING LIMITATION SHALL APPLY REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE, AND EVEN IF PALATE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Copyright

All content included on or made available through any The Sites, Applications and Services, such as text, graphics, logos, button icons, images, audio clips, digital downloads, and data compilations is the property of Palate or its content suppliers and protected by United States and international copyright laws. The compilation of all content included in or made available through any The Sites, Applications and Services is the exclusive property of Palate and protected by U.S. and international copyright laws.

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Palate and its officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors and content providers from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses or fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) resulting from your violation of these Terms, or your use of The Sites, Applications or Services.

Disputes

READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT AFFECTS YOUR RIGHTS AND IMPACTS HOW CLAIMS YOU AND PALATE MAY HAVE AGAINST EACH OTHER ARE DETERMINED.

Agreement to Arbitrate

You and Palate agree that any claim or dispute at law or equity that has arisen or may arise between us relating in any way to this or previous versions of the Palate Terms, your use of The Sites, Applications or Services, or to any products sold or distributed by Palate or through The Sites, Applications or Services will be resolved by binding arbitration, rather than in court, except that you may assert claims in small claims court if your claims qualify and the case proceeds as an individual (non-class, non-representative) case. The Federal Arbitration Act applies to this agreement.

There is no judge or jury in arbitration, and court review of an arbitration award is limited. However, an arbitrator can award on an individual basis the same damages and relief as a court (including injunctive and declaratory relief or statutory damages), and must follow these Terms as a court would.

To begin an arbitration proceeding, you must send a letter requesting arbitration and describing your claim to National Registered Agents, Inc., 160 Greentree Dr., Suite 101, Dover, Delaware, 19904. The arbitration will be conducted by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its rules, including the AAA's Supplementary Procedures for Consumer-Related Disputes. The AAA's rules are available at adr.org or by calling 1-800-778-7879. Payment of all filing, administration and arbitrator fees will be governed by the AAA's rules.

The arbitration hearing will be held in Los Angeles county, California. You or Palate may elect to have the arbitration conducted by telephone or based solely on written submissions, which election shall be binding on you and Palate subject to the arbitrator’s discretion to require an in-person hearing.

The arbitrator will decide all claims in accordance with applicable law. The arbitrator shall not be bound by rulings in prior arbitrations involving other Palate Discovery Project subscribers, but is bound by rulings in prior arbitrations involving the same subscriber to the extent required by applicable law. The arbitrator's award shall be final and binding and judgment on the arbitrator’s award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction.

Prohibition of Class, Representative, and Consolidated Actions

You and Palate agree that each of us may bring claims against the other only on an individual basis and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class or representative action. Unless both you and Palate agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not join more than one party’s claims, and may not adjudicate or determine any form of a representative, class, or consolidated proceeding. The arbitrator may award relief (including monetary, injunctive, and declaratory relief) only in favor of the individual party bringing the claim, if such relief is warranted by the facts and law. Any relief awarded by the arbitrator will not affect other Palate Discovery Project subscribers.

If for any reason a claim proceeds in court rather than in arbitration both you and Palate each waive any right to a jury trial. You and Palate also both agree that you or we may bring suit in court to enjoin infringement or other misuse of intellectual property rights.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction

Any dispute or claim relating in any way to these Terms or previous versions of these Terms, your use of any The Sites, Applications or Services, or any products sold or distributed by Palate or through The Sites, Applications or Services, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule.

Unless you and Palate agree otherwise, in the event that the Agreement to Arbitrate above is found not to apply to you or to a particular claim or dispute, any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or related to these Terms or previous versions of these Terms, your use of any The Sites, Applications or Services, or any products sold or distributed by Palate or through The Sites, Applications or Services shall be instituted exclusively in the federal or state courts located in Los Angeles, California. You agree to waive any and all objections to the exercise of jurisdiction over you by such courts and to venue in such courts.

Waiver and Severability

No waiver of these Terms by Palate shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such Terms or any other term or condition, and any failure of Palate to assert a right or provision under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. If any provision of these Terms is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason, such provision shall be eliminated or limited to the minimum extent such that the remaining provisions of these Terms will continue in full force and effect.

United States Only

Unless otherwise specified, the Palate Services are presented solely for the purpose of promoting products and services available in the United States. Palate makes no representation that the Palate Services are appropriate or available for use in other locations. If you access Palate Services from locations outside the United States, you do so at your own risk and you are responsible for compliance with any applicable local laws.

Entire Agreement

These Terms and our Privacy Notice constitute the sole and entire agreement between you and Palate with respect to the Palate Services and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations and warranties, both written and oral, with respect to the sites.

Modifications

Palate reserves the right to make changes to these Terms, including the terms that apply to Gift Cards and/or the Palate Referral Program, at any time. If Palate makes a material modification to these Terms, we will notify you by displaying a prominent announcement above the text of the Terms or at palateproject.co, as appropriate, for thirty (30) days, and that will be deemed sufficient notification of such changes.

If you choose to continue using the Palate Services after receiving notice of such modification as set forth herein, you agree that by doing so you will be deemed to accept the new terms and conditions.

Contact Information

If you have questions or comments about these Terms or the Sites, Applications or Services, please email us via the contact information below:

Palate Holdings Inc.
palate@palateproject.co