Privacy Policy
What we collect, why, and the choices you have.
Effective: June 2026 · Governing law: State of California
1. Who we are
Sugar & Chef is an online marketplace connecting Bay Area home-based food makers ("Chefs") with buyers ("Customers"). This policy explains how we handle personal information for both.
2. What we collect
- Account: your email (passwordless sign-in — we never store a password).
- Profile: first/last name, phone, ZIP, optional photo.
- Chefs: kitchen name, city, description, permit type & number, certification notes, pickup ZIP, delivery radius, payout handle, photos.
- Orders: items, totals, fulfillment, requested date, notes, and the buyer's name, phone, and (for delivery) address, shared with that Chef.
- Messages: the content of messages you send through the site.
- Favorites: kitchens you save.
- Consent records: when you accept our Terms we log the date, version, and your IP address and browser type as proof.
3. What we do NOT collect
- No passwords (sign-in is by emailed link).
- No credit-card or bank details — payment is arranged directly with the Chef.
- No precise GPS location — ZIP only.
- No government ID or Social Security numbers.
- No advertising or third-party tracking cookies.
4. How we use it
To run the marketplace: create your account, show kitchens near you, place and manage orders, enable buyer↔Chef messaging, send transactional emails, and keep the platform secure. We do not sell your personal information and don't use it for advertising.
5. Categories of personal information & sharing (CCPA/CPRA)
The categories we collect, why, and who receives them. Recipients are service providers who process data on our behalf — a cloud hosting provider, a database & file-storage provider, and an email-deliveryprovider — and, where noted, the other user in your transaction. We do not sell or "share" (for cross-context ads) any of it.
| Category | Examples | Why | Shared with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identifiers | email, name, account ID | account, sign-in, contact | database & email providers |
| Contact & location | phone, ZIP, delivery address | fulfill/route orders, show nearby kitchens | the Chef on your order; storage provider |
| Commercial | orders, items, totals, favorites | process orders, sales history | the Chef; storage provider |
| User content | messages, photos, kitchen/menu info | messaging & storefronts | the other party; storage provider |
| Technical | IP address, browser type, essential cookies | security, consent proof, keep you signed in | hosting & storage providers |
6. Cookies
We use only essential cookies to keep you signed in and operate the site. We do not use advertising or third-party tracking cookies.
7. How long we keep it
Roughly:
- Account & profile: until you delete your account.
- Order records: retained for tax/legal reasons, and de-identified after you delete your account (your name removed, no longer linked to you).
- Messages: kept with the order; redacted on account deletion.
- Consent logs: kept as proof of Terms acceptance.
(Exact retention periods to be finalized with counsel.)
8. Deleting your account
Anytime from My account → Delete my account. We remove your personal details (name, phone, ZIP, photo) and sign you out; order records are kept but de-identified; any kitchen you run is closed and hidden. Deletion can't be undone — if you return later you start with a fresh account.
9. Your California privacy rights (CCPA/CPRA)
California residents have the right to:
- Know / access the personal info we hold and how it's used;
- Delete it (subject to legal/tax retention exceptions);
- Correct inaccurate info;
- Portability — get a copy of your data;
- Non-discrimination for exercising these rights.
We do not sell or "share" personal information for cross-context advertising, and we honor browser Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals. To make a request, use the in-app deletion tool or email support@sugarandchef.com; we may need to verify your identity, you may use an authorized agent, and you may appeal a decision by replying to our response.
10. Children's privacy
Sugar & Chef is not directed to children. You must be 18+ to use it, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13 (or under 16 for sale/share, which we don't do). If you believe a child gave us data, email us and we'll delete it.
11. Security
We use reasonable safeguards (encrypted connections, access controls via our providers) to protect your data, but no method is 100% secure. Keep your sign-in email secure, since access to it means access to your account.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy; the effective date above reflects the latest version. We'll post material changes here and, where appropriate, notify you in the app.
13. Contact
Questions or privacy requests: support@sugarandchef.com