Terms & Conditions

Last updated: 27 July 2026

These Terms & Conditions govern your use of the Ferment Community website and platform (“Ferment Community”, the “Platform”, “we”, “us” or “our”).

By creating an account or using the Platform, you agree to these Terms & Conditions. If you do not agree with them, please do not use the Platform.

1. About Ferment Community

Ferment Community is an online community that helps users connect with other people who share or request fermentation cultures.

“Cultures” may include, for example, kefir grains, kombucha SCOBY, sourdough starter, yoghurt cultures, vinegar mothers and other fermentation starter cultures.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, Ferment Community only provides the technical platform through which users can find and communicate with one another. We are not a party to agreements or exchanges made between users.

2. Eligibility and user accounts

You must be at least 18 years old, or have the permission and supervision of a parent or legal guardian, to use the Platform.

When creating an account, you agree to:

provide accurate and current information;
keep your account details and password secure;
use only your own identity and profile;
promptly update information that is no longer accurate;
take responsibility for activity carried out through your account.

You must notify us if you believe that your account has been accessed without permission.

3. User-to-user exchanges

All arrangements concerning a Culture are made directly between the users involved.

Users are solely responsible for agreeing on the details of an exchange, including collection, delivery, packaging, shipping costs, timing, storage instructions and any other relevant conditions.

Ferment Community does not supervise, control or participate in exchanges between users.

4. Exchanges are undertaken at your own risk

Every exchange, receipt, handling, cultivation and use of a Culture is undertaken at the user’s own judgment and risk.

Ferment Community does not inspect, test, verify, approve or certify Cultures offered by users. We therefore cannot guarantee:

the identity or origin of a Culture;
its purity, freshness, viability or activity;
its quality, condition or suitability;
that it has been prepared, stored or transported correctly;
that it is free from mould, pathogens, contamination, foreign microorganisms or allergens;
that it is safe for consumption or any particular use;
that it will produce a successful fermentation result;
the accuracy of photographs, descriptions or information provided by another user.

A listing, photograph, profile, message or statement published through the Platform must not be understood as a guarantee or certification by Ferment Community.

5. User responsibilities and food safety

Before accepting or using a Culture, users should ask the provider for relevant information about its origin, age, ingredients, feeding routine, storage, handling, known allergens and any previous signs of contamination.

Recipients are responsible for:

inspecting the Culture before using it;
maintaining appropriate hygiene;
using clean and suitable equipment;
storing, feeding and handling the Culture correctly;
considering personal allergies, intolerances and medical conditions;
deciding whether the Culture is suitable and safe to use;
complying with applicable food safety and other local laws.

If a Culture shows signs of mould, unusual colour, damage, contamination, an unexpected smell or any other cause for concern, it should not be consumed or used. It should be safely discarded.

If you experience an adverse reaction or suspect foodborne illness, stop using the Culture and seek advice from an appropriate healthcare professional or public authority.

6. Responsibilities of users sharing Cultures

Users offering a Culture must provide truthful and reasonably complete information about it.

You must not offer or distribute a Culture if you know or reasonably suspect that it:

is contaminated or unsafe;
has been stored or handled in unsuitable conditions;
contains an undeclared or unexpected allergen;
is incorrectly identified;
could cause harm to another person.

Users acting in the course of a business or professional activity are independently responsible for complying with all applicable requirements, including food safety, hygiene, registration, labelling, traceability, recall and consumer-protection obligations.

7. Meetings, collection and delivery

Users are responsible for deciding how and where an exchange will take place.

When meeting another user, we recommend choosing a safe public location and informing someone you trust about the meeting.

Ferment Community is not responsible for:

the conduct of users during an in-person meeting;
loss or damage during collection or delivery;
delayed, damaged or lost shipments;
unsuitable packaging or transport conditions;
changes in the condition of a Culture during transport.

8. User content

Users may publish profile information, listings, descriptions, photographs, locations and messages through the Platform.

You retain ownership of your content. By publishing it on the Platform, you grant us a non-exclusive licence to host, display, reproduce and process that content as necessary to operate and promote the Platform.

You confirm that you have the right to publish your content and that it does not violate another person’s privacy, intellectual property or other legal rights.

We may remove content that is misleading, unlawful, unsafe, offensive, inappropriate or contrary to these Terms.

9. Prohibited use

You must not use Ferment Community to:

publish false, deceptive or misleading information;
offer unsafe, contaminated or incorrectly identified Cultures;
impersonate another person;
harass, threaten or discriminate against another user;
send spam or unsolicited commercial messages;
collect user information without permission;
upload malicious code or interfere with the Platform;
engage in fraud or unlawful activity;
violate food safety, consumer protection, privacy or other applicable laws.

Users can report inappropriate behaviour, unsafe Cultures or suspicious content by contacting us.

10. No professional or medical advice

Information shared on Ferment Community is provided by community members and is intended for general informational purposes only.

It does not constitute medical, dietary, food-safety or other professional advice. Users should consult an appropriately qualified professional where necessary.

11. Platform availability

We aim to keep Ferment Community available and functioning correctly, but we cannot guarantee that the Platform will always be uninterrupted, error-free or available.

We may modify, suspend or discontinue parts of the Platform when reasonably necessary for maintenance, security, legal compliance or further development.

12. Disclaimer of warranties

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Ferment Community is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis.

We do not guarantee the conduct, identity, reliability or accuracy of users, nor the quality, safety, legality or suitability of Cultures offered through the Platform.

Users are responsible for independently assessing another user and any proposed exchange.

13. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Ferment Community and its operator will not be liable for loss, damage, illness, allergic reaction, contamination, unsuccessful fermentation, property damage or other consequences arising from:

a Culture offered, received, transported, stored or used by a user;
information or instructions provided by another user;
the conduct of another user;
an in-person meeting or delivery;
reliance on user-generated content;
unauthorised or improper use of the Platform.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot legally be excluded or limited, including liability arising from fraud, wilful misconduct or other mandatory statutory rights.

14. Suspension and termination

We may restrict, suspend or terminate an account if we reasonably believe that a user:

has violated these Terms;
has created a safety or security risk;
has engaged in fraudulent or unlawful activity;
has repeatedly received substantiated complaints;
has misused the Platform or harmed other users.

Users may stop using the Platform and request deletion of their account at any time.

15. Privacy

Our collection and use of personal information are described in our Privacy Policy.

By using the Platform, you acknowledge that your personal information will be processed as described in that policy.

16. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms when necessary to reflect changes to the Platform, applicable law or our operating practices.

The current version will always be published on this page together with the date of the latest update. Where appropriate, users will be notified of significant changes.

17. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Slovenia.

If you are a consumer, this choice of law does not remove any mandatory rights or protections provided by the law of the country in which you normally reside.

Any dispute should first be submitted to us so that we can attempt to resolve it informally. Nothing in these Terms restricts a consumer’s right to bring a claim before a court that has jurisdiction under applicable law.

18. Contact

Ferment Community is operated by:

BORGLA d.o.o.

Trading as: Ferment Community
Address: Valvasorjeva ulica 40, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Email: info@fermentcommunity.com
Company or registration number: 6767672000

If you have questions about these Terms or wish to report a safety concern, please contact us at the email address above.