Privacy Policy

Effective Date: March 15, 2025   |   Last Updated: March 15, 2025

 

Despensa ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information about you when you visit our website located at www.getdespensa.com (the "Website"), use the Despensa mobile application (the "App"), or interact with our presale, marketing materials, or any related services (collectively, the "Services").

 

This Privacy Policy applies to all visitors, users, and others who access or use our Services. By accessing the Website or using the App, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this Policy. If you do not agree with this Policy, please do not access or use our Services.

 

This Policy covers both our website and mobile application. Where a provision applies specifically to one or the other, we have identified it clearly. All remaining provisions apply to both.

 

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect information you voluntarily provide to us, including:

• Account Registration: Name, email address, username, and password when you create an account or purchase a presale plan.

• Payment Information: Billing name, billing address, and payment card details. Payment processing is handled by third-party processors (e.g., Stripe). We do not store full payment card numbers on our servers.

• Purchases and Transactions: Records of presale purchases, the plan selected (Lifetime, Founder’s Monthly, or Founder’s Family Rate), and transaction confirmations.

• Communications: Any messages, emails, feedback, or support inquiries you send to us.

• User-Generated Content (App): Pantry items, grocery lists, meal preferences, household member information, and any other content you enter into the App.

• Survey and Feedback Responses: Responses to optional surveys, beta feedback forms, or product research requests.

 

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Website or use the App, we and our service providers may automatically collect certain technical and usage data, including:

• Device Information: Device type, operating system, browser type and version, device identifiers (e.g., IDFA, Android advertising ID), and mobile network information.

• Log Data: IP address, referring and exit pages, pages viewed, time spent on pages, links clicked, and the date and time of your visit.

• Usage Data (App): Features used, pantry scans performed, meal suggestions requested, grocery lists generated, session duration, and in-app navigation patterns.

• Location Information: Approximate geographic location inferred from your IP address. We do not collect precise GPS location unless you expressly grant permission for specific features.

• Cookies and Similar Technologies: See Section 4 (Cookies and Tracking Technologies) below.

 

1.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third parties, including:

• Analytics Providers: Aggregated and de-identified usage data from providers such as Google Analytics, Mixpanel, or similar services.

• Payment Processors: Confirmation of successful transactions and fraud signals.

• Social Media Platforms: If you interact with our social media pages or share content related to Despensa, we may receive limited profile data as permitted by the platform’s settings.

• AI Service Providers: When you use AI-powered features in the App (such as pantry recognition or meal suggestions), your inputs are transmitted to our AI service provider (currently Anthropic, PBC) for processing. We receive processed output results. See Section 6 for more detail.

 

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

2.1 To Provide and Operate the Services

• Create and manage your account.

• Process presale purchases and fulfill your selected plan.

• Deliver the App’s core features: pantry tracking, meal suggestions, and grocery list generation.

• Authenticate you and maintain the security of your account.

• Provide customer support and respond to your inquiries.

 

2.2 To Improve and Develop the Services

• Analyze usage patterns and feature engagement to improve the App and Website.

• Conduct internal research, testing, and product development.

• Train and improve AI models used within the App, using de-identified or aggregated data only, unless you provide explicit consent for use of identifiable data.

• Debug technical issues and maintain system reliability.

 

2.3 To Communicate with You

• Send transactional emails such as purchase confirmations, receipts, and account notices.

• Send presale updates, beta access notifications, and launch announcements.

• Deliver marketing communications about Despensa features, promotions, or news, subject to your communication preferences and applicable law.

• Respond to feedback, surveys, and support requests.

 

2.4 Legal, Safety, and Compliance

• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal obligations.

• Detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, abuse, security incidents, and other harmful activities.

• Enforce our Terms of Service and other agreements.

• Protect the rights, property, and safety of Despensa, our users, and the public.

 

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

3.1 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party vendors and service providers who assist us in operating our Services, including:

• Payment processors (e.g., Stripe) for billing and fraud prevention.

• Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud).

• AI and machine learning providers (e.g., Anthropic, PBC) for processing pantry scan images and generating meal suggestions.

• Email and push notification delivery services.

• Analytics and product intelligence tools.

• Customer support platforms.

All service providers are required by contract to use your information only to provide services to us, to maintain appropriate security, and to comply with applicable law.

 

3.2 Business Transfers

If Despensa is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, restructuring, bankruptcy, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email or prominent notice on the Website prior to your information becoming subject to a materially different privacy policy.

 

3.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to: (a) comply with a legal obligation, subpoena, court order, or government request; (b) protect and defend our legal rights or the rights of others; (c) prevent or investigate potential wrongdoing; or (d) protect the personal safety of users, us, or the public.

 

3.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information for any other purpose with your prior written consent.

 

3.5 Aggregated or De-Identified Data

We may share aggregated or de-identified information — which cannot reasonably be used to identify you — with third parties for research, analytics, marketing, or other lawful purposes.

 

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

4.1 What We Use

Our Website uses cookies, web beacons, pixel tags, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activity. The types of cookies we use include:

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: Essential for the Website to function, such as session management and security tokens. These cannot be disabled.

• Performance and Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with the Website (e.g., Google Analytics). We anonymize IP addresses where possible.

• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences, such as language settings or whether you have acknowledged a notice.

• Marketing and Advertising Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertising and track campaign effectiveness, including Facebook Pixel and similar tools. You may opt out of these as described below.

 

4.2 Your Cookie Choices

You may manage cookie preferences through:

• Your browser settings (which allow you to block or delete cookies), noting that disabling certain cookies may affect Website functionality.

• Our cookie consent banner, where applicable.

• Opt-out tools provided by third-party analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout).

• The Digital Advertising Alliance’s opt-out page at optout.aboutads.info.

 

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Specifically:

• Account data is retained for the duration of your account and for a reasonable period thereafter to allow for account reactivation or to address disputes.

• Transactional and billing records are retained for a minimum of seven (7) years to comply with tax and financial recordkeeping obligations.

• App content (pantry data, grocery lists, meal history) is retained until you delete it or close your account.

• Log and analytics data is typically retained for twelve (12) to twenty-four (24) months in identifiable form, after which it is aggregated or deleted.

• Marketing communication records are retained until you opt out, after which we retain a suppression record to honor your preference.

You may request deletion of your personal information at any time, subject to certain exceptions described in Section 8 (Your Privacy Rights).

 

6. AI-Powered Features and Third-Party Processing

The Despensa App uses artificial intelligence to power its core features, including pantry item recognition (via photo scan) and personalized meal suggestions. In connection with these features:

• Images you submit for pantry scanning and text describing your pantry contents or meal preferences are transmitted to our AI provider, Anthropic, PBC, for processing.

• We do not share your name, email address, or other directly identifying information with Anthropic in connection with AI processing calls.

• Anthropic processes your inputs in accordance with its own privacy and data use policies, which govern how it handles API request data.

• We do not use your identifiable pantry or meal data to train AI models without your explicit consent.

• Processed AI outputs (meal suggestions, identified items) are stored in your account as described in Section 5.

By using the AI-powered features of the App, you acknowledge that your inputs will be transmitted to and processed by our AI service provider as described above.

 

7. Children’s Privacy

Our Services are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at the address in Section 12. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete it promptly.

 

The Founder’s Family Rate plan is designed for household use and permits up to four (4) accounts per family. Family plans may not be used to create accounts for children under 13 without a parent or guardian managing the account.

 

8. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information. We honor these rights as described below, subject to applicable exceptions.

8.1 Rights Available to All Users

• Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.

• Correction: You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information.

• Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal retention obligations.

• Portability: You may request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format.

• Opt-Out of Marketing: You may opt out of receiving marketing emails at any time by clicking “Unsubscribe” in any marketing email or contacting us directly.

 

8.2 California Residents — California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) / CPRA

If you are a California resident, you have the following additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act:

• Right to Know: You have the right to know the categories of personal information we collect, the sources, the business purposes, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it.

• Right to Delete: You have the right to request deletion of personal information we have collected, subject to certain exceptions.

• Right to Correct: You have the right to request correction of inaccurate personal information we maintain.

• Right to Opt Out of Sale or Sharing: We do not sell your personal information. We do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising without your consent.

• Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information: We do not use sensitive personal information (as defined under CPRA) for purposes beyond those permitted by law without your consent.

• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your privacy rights.

To exercise your California rights, please submit a verifiable consumer request to privacy@despensa.app. We will respond within forty-five (45) days of receipt, with one possible extension of an additional forty-five (45) days where reasonably necessary. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

California residents may also designate an authorized agent to submit requests on their behalf, subject to our verification requirements.

 

8.3 Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Texas, and Other State Privacy Laws

Residents of Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), Connecticut (CTDPA), Texas (TDPSA), and other states with comprehensive privacy laws have rights that may include access, correction, deletion, portability, and opt-out of certain processing. Where these laws apply, we will honor requests consistent with those rights. Please contact us at privacy@despensa.app to submit a request.

 

8.4 Nevada Residents

Nevada law (NRS 603A) gives Nevada consumers the right to opt out of the sale of certain covered information. We do not currently sell covered information as defined under Nevada law. If this changes, we will update this Policy and provide opt-out mechanisms accordingly.

 

8.5 How to Submit a Request

To exercise any of the rights above, you may:

• Email us at: privacy@despensa.app

• Write to us at the physical address in Section 12.

We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request. We will not charge a fee for processing your request unless it is excessive, repetitive, or manifestly unfounded.

 

9. Data Security

We implement reasonable and appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using TLS/HTTPS.

• Encryption of sensitive data at rest.

• Access controls and authentication requirements for employees and contractors who access personal data.

• Regular security assessments and monitoring.

 

Despite these measures, no data transmission over the internet or electronic storage system is completely secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information. If you have reason to believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

 

In the event of a data breach affecting your rights and freedoms, we will notify affected users and relevant authorities as required by applicable law.

 

10. Third-Party Links and Services

The Website and App may contain links to third-party websites, services, or resources that are not operated by Despensa. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of every third-party service you visit or use. This Policy does not apply to third-party services.

 

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this Policy.

• Post the revised Policy on our Website.

• Provide notice by email to the address associated with your account, or by a prominent notice on the Website, at least thirty (30) days prior to the changes taking effect, for any material changes that affect your rights.

Your continued use of the Services after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Policy.

 

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

 

Despensa

Email: privacy@getdespensa.com

Website: www.despensa.app

​

We will do our best to respond to all inquiries within thirty (30) days.