Trade East Summer Contest Rules, Terms & Conditions

Everyone involved in the 2024 Trade East Competition (the “Competition”) shall comply fully with the procedures, terms and conditions specified in these official rules (the “Official Rules” or “Rules”). These Official Rules shall govern the Competition.

By entering the Competition, all Participants agree that they have read, and are legally bound by the Rules, and further acknowledge and agree that these Rules are a legally binding contract between them and the Sponsor. Failure to adhere to these rules will lead to disqualification from the Competition.

No purchase or entry fee is required to participate or to win a prize in this Competition. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply to the Competition. The Competition is void in any state or local jurisdiction where it is prohibited or restricted by law or regulation. Only eligible persons may participate in the Competition.

1. Introduction and Background of the Competition

This Competition is sponsored by Gordon Food Service, Inc., 1300 Gezon Parkway SW, Wyoming, MI 49509 (the “Sponsor”). No other company is responsible for this Competition or the award of prizes. There are two categories in the Competition: “Home Chefs” and “Business / Restaurants.” Anyone who submits an entry or otherwise participates in the Competition in any manner is referred to herein as a “Participant.”

2. Competition Program

• Schedule:
  • Competition Announcement: 7/15
  • Submission Deadline: 8/15
  • Sponsor Review of Entries: Approximately 2 weeks
  • Award Results Announced: Beginning of September 2024
• Method of Submission. In order to submit an entry, the Participant must furnish the following information using Sponsor’s official entry form located at https://gfs.com/en-us/trade-east-summer-contest/:
  • Name
  • Email Address
  • Phone Number
  • Mailing Address
  • Confirmati0on of which category they are submitting to (i.e., “Home Chefs” or “Business/Restaurant”
  • Complete recipe using at least two of their favorite Trade East Spice(s) and/or Seasoning(s). The recipe must include a dish name, a short description of the dish, ingredient list with measurements, directions for preparation, and a photo of the finished dish that shows the spices they used from Trade East.
  • Permission for Sponsor to use the recipe and photo in its entirety to promote Trade East spices and/or the Competition.
  • kPermission for Sponsor to publish the Participant’s name and, if applicable, business name on any social media platform or other digital channels.

3. Eligibility to Compete

The Competition is open only to adults ae 18 and over who are resident in the 48 contiguous United States of America (i.e., excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and non-State territories). Only one entry per person is allowed. The following persons are ineligible to participate in the Competition: employees of Sponsor, the Competition administrators, immediate family members of Sponsor employees or Competition administrators, and the firms, partners, and professional associates of the Sponsor or any Competition administrator or Juror including, but not limited to, employees and interns and/or volunteers. If it is determined that a Participant is in any material way related to the Sponsor or a Competition administrator, that Participant’s entry will be disqualified.

4. Review of Enties

• Jurors/Review of Entries: The Sponsor shall appoint a panel of its employees to serve as administrators to review submissions, apply the Competition criteria as specified in these Official Rules and, in cooperation with the Sponsor, select winners (“Winners”). Each Winner will be eligible to receive a prize (“Prize”), subject to the terms of these Official Rules.
• Review Criteria: The criteria applied by shall include:
  • Creativity / Originality
  • Quality of Execution
• Notification of Winners and Acceptance of Prizes: Winners will be notified via the email address included in their entry. In order to accept a Prize, Sponsor may require that Winners confirm their eligibility under, and agreement to, these Official Rules in writing and/or under oath to Sponsor’s satisfaction. Any award that remains unaccepted within 7 days of the announcement of the Prizes will be forfeited by the Winner and will remain the property of the Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right to choose an alternate Winner if the originally selected Winner does not claim the Prize or does not meet the requirements of these Official Rules. No Prize will be awarded to any person, whether eligible or not, in any jurisdiction where this Competition is prohibited.
• Publicity Release: Except where prohibited by law, a Winner’s entry and/or acceptance of a Prize constitutes permission of the Winner for Sponsor to use, without notice or further compensation, worldwide and in perpetuity, in any and all forms of media, now known or hereafter devised, such Winner’s recipe, name, likeness, pictures, photographs, voice, biographical information, and statements for purposes of advertising, trade, promotion, and publicity, including on social media.

5. Prize: The Sponsor will award one Prize to the Winner of each category, consisting of four full size bottles of Trade East Seasoning (varying flavors), a $200 VISA gift card, and several items of Gordon Food Service and Trade East branded merchandise for Home Chefs (with an estimated retail value of $500) and for Restaurant / Business (with an estimated retail value of $500). Sponsor reserves the rights to substitute prizes for one of equal or greater value, or to award additional prizes, all at Sponsor’s discretion. Prizes are non-transferable and non-exchangeable, and no cash alternatives will be provided.

6. Integrity/Disqualification: The Sponsor and Competition administrators will vigorously protect the integrity of the Competition process. The Sponsor, whose decision is final, will disqualify any Participant or administrator found in violation.

7. Payment of Taxes/Fees Associated with Prize: Any costs associated with accepting or redeeming a monetary Prize, including taxes, government surcharges, fees or expenses, will be the responsibility of the Winner that is awarded the Prize.

8. Ownership and Copyright: By submitting an entry to the Competition, a Participant represents and warrants that any such submission is the Participant’s original work and does not include any third party intellectual property. It is the Participant’s sole responsibility to ensure that the work submitted does not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of any third party, including, but not limited to: copyright, trademark, trade secret, patent and design rights (collectively “Intellectual Property Rights”). Entries that infringe, or use without permission, another party’s Intellectual Property Rights may be disqualified in the discretion of Sponsor. For clarity, it is not an infringement for a participant to refer to a recipe ingredient by its branded name, although Sponsor reserves the right to rephrase or replace the branded name with a generic equivalent.

All physical materials submitted to the Competition become the property of the Sponsor and may be retained for archival purposes, exhibition or publication. By submitting the materials to Sponsor, Entrant hereby grants Sponsor a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, sub-licensable, worldwide, royalty-free and fully paid-up license to all intellectual property rights (including, without limitation, all patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret and similar rights) in all submissions, materials and work product delivered or furnished to Sponsor.

9. General Provisions: Any Participant who fails to observe the provisions in these Official Rules will be declared ineligible by the Sponsor. The Sponsor’s decision in respect to any such disqualification shall be final and binding on all parties. The Sponsor is not required to notify a disqualified Participant, or to provide an explanation for their decision.

If, for any reason, the Sponsor finds that the Competition has become corrupted by Participants, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes, which corruption in the Sponsor’s sole opinion, affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Competition, or the granting of a Prize, the Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual implicated in such action and/or to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Competition, or any portion thereof, and to conduct the Competition in a manner that is fair and equitable as determined in the Sponsor’s sole discretion.

The Sponsor has the sole authority and responsibility, in its discretion, to recommend Winners at the end of the Competition. Any questions or disputes concerning the construction, validity, interpretation of the rules, or the rights or obligations of the administrators, the Sponsor, or the Participants, in connection with the rules, their enforceability, or interpretation, will be resolved by the Sponsor in consultation with the Competition administrators, and all decisions shall be final and not subject to dispute or protest in any judicial or administrative forum.

10. Limitation of Liability/Arbitration: No liability or responsibility is assumed by the Sponsor or the Competition administrators resulting from a Participant’s participation or attempt to participate in the Competition. Sponsor is not responsible for any errors in these Official Rules or with the Competition website. As a condition of participation in the Competition, each Participant agrees: (A) to release the Sponsor, the Competition administrators and all of the Sponsor’s and Competition administrators’ affiliates, officers, directors, members, managers, employees and agents from any and all liability, loss or damage incurred with respect to participation in this Competition and/or the awarding, receipt, possession, and/or use of a Prize; (B) that under no circumstance will an entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and Participant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, consequential, or any other damages, other than actual out-of-pocket expenses; and (C) that all causes of action arising out of, or connected with this Competition, or any Prize awarded shall be resolved without resort to any form of class action. 

BY ENTERING THE COMPETITION, EACH ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANT AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF, OR RELATING TO THESE RULES, THEIR ENFORCEMENT, ARBITRABILITY, OR INTERPRETATION SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO FINAL AND BINDING ARBITRATION, TO BE HELD IN, OR NEAR GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, AS DETERMINED BY SPONSOR, BEFORE A SINGLE ARBITRATOR UTILIZING THE RULES AND PROCESSES OF THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION. EACH PARTY SHALL BEAR THEIR OWN LEGAL EXPENSES IN SUCH ARBITRATION.

THE INTERNAL SUBSTANTIVE LAWS (AS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE CHOICE OF LAW RULES) OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS MADE AND PERFORMED ENTIRELY IN MICHIGAN SHALL GOVERN THE VALIDITY AND INTERPRETATION OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES AND ALL OTHER CAUSES OF ACTION (WHETHER SOUNDING IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE COMPETITION OR THESE OFFICIAL RULES.

11. Communication. The Sponsor and the Competition administrators are responsible for the administration of the Competition, and for the development and enforcement of its rules and procedures. Any and all communication relative to the Competition must be directed in writing by email to: digitalmarketing@gfs.com.

12. Rules and Winners: For a copy of these Official Rules, please send a written correspondence to the Sponsor.

13. Privacy. By entering the Competition, Participants consent to the privacy policy found at https://gfs.com/en-us/privacy-policy/.