Privacy Policy

Chefs Lab ("we", "us", "our") operates the Chefs Lab food management platform (the "Service"). We are committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of our users in accordance with the South Africa Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 ("POPIA"). This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, and the rights you have over it.

Chefs Lab is the Responsible Party for the personal information processed through the Service. Our Information Officer can be contacted at foodwizard@iafrica.com for any privacy-related queries, requests, or complaints.

• Account data: your name, email address, and user role.
• Content you create: recipes, ingredients, supplier details, event plans, notes, and other data you enter into the Service.
• Usage data: how you interact with the Service, used to operate and improve it.
• Billing data: handled by our payment provider (PayFast); we do not store full card numbers on our systems.

• To provide, maintain, and secure the Service.
• To create and manage your account.
• To process subscription payments and manage your plan.
• To provide support and respond to your queries.
• To improve and develop the Service.
• To communicate with you about your account and, with your consent, send marketing.

We process your personal information on the following lawful bases under POPIA: (a) your consent; (b) performance of a contract — providing the Service you requested; (c) compliance with a legal obligation; and (d) our legitimate interests in operating and securing the Service.

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with service providers ("Operators") who process it on our behalf — hosting and database infrastructure, payment processing (PayFast), and email delivery. Each provider is bound by confidentiality and may only use your data to provide services to us.

Your data may be stored and processed on cloud infrastructure located outside South Africa. Where this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place consistent with POPIA requirements.

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including encrypted storage, access controls, and authentication. No system is perfectly secure; where required by law we will notify you and the Information Regulator of a security breach.

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active, and for a reasonable period thereafter to meet legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. You may request deletion of your data subject to these obligations.

Under POPIA you have the right to: access the personal information we hold about you; correct inaccurate or incomplete information; request deletion; object to or restrict processing; withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; and lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (inforegulator.org.za).

We may send you marketing communications only with your consent, or where you are an existing customer. You may opt out at any time using the unsubscribe link or by contacting us.

The Service uses essential local storage to maintain your session and preferences. We do not use your personal information for non-essential tracking without consent.

The Service is not directed at children under 18, and we do not knowingly collect their personal information. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, please contact us.

We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes and post the updated date above.

For any privacy request, question, or complaint, contact our Information Officer at foodwizard@iafrica.com.