Privacy Policy

Effective date: February 24, 2026  |  Last updated: March 19, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how AnduStar, LLC (“Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) collects, uses, and protects your information when you use Hey Maëlle! (the “App”), available on iOS, Android, and the web at heymaelle.app.

1. Data We Collect

We collect the following information to provide and improve our service:

• Account information: email address and display name (via Firebase Authentication).
• Dietary profile: allergens and dietary preferences you enter during onboarding or in settings.
• My Kitchen data: ingredient selections you make within the App.
• Saved recipes: recipes you save, including your personal notes (private) and reviews (public when shared to the community).
• Community content: recipes and reviews you choose to share publicly.
• Photos and documents: files you submit for recipe import are processed on our servers and immediately discarded — they are never stored.
• Usage data: anonymous analytics to understand how the App is used (page views, feature engagement). Collected via Firebase/Google Analytics.

2. How We Use Your Data

We use your data exclusively to operate and personalize the App:

• Personalize Chef Maëlle recipes based on your allergens and dietary preferences.
• Power Chef Maëlle, your virtual chef, within recipe and chat sessions.
• Display community-shared recipes to other users.
• Sync your data across devices via your account.
• Improve the App through anonymous analytics.

We do not use your data for advertising. We do not sell your data to third parties.

3. Cookies and Tracking

Our website uses the following cookies and local storage:

• Essential: Firebase Authentication session tokens (required for the App to function).
• Analytics: Google Analytics cookies (_ga, _ga_*) to understand site usage. You may opt out via our Cookie Policy.
• Preferences: dark mode selection, cookie consent choice (stored in your browser’s localStorage).

We do not use any third-party advertising cookies. We do not track you across other companies’ apps or websites for advertising purposes. For more details, see our Cookie Policy.

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate the App:

• Google Firebase: authentication, database storage (Firestore), analytics, and Cloud Functions. Subject to Google’s Privacy Policy.
• Groq: AI recipe generation and chat (Llama 3.3 70B model). Data is processed via our server-side Cloud Functions only. No data is retained by Groq beyond the request.
• Google Gemini: AI vision and text processing for ingredient scanning and recipe import. Data is processed via our server-side Cloud Functions only. Files are not retained.
• Sentry: error monitoring and crash reporting. Collects anonymized error data only.
• RevenueCat: subscription and in-app purchase management. Processes purchase tokens only.

We do not share your dietary or health-related information with any third party beyond what is described above.

5. Data Security

Your data is stored in Google Firebase infrastructure, which applies industry-standard security controls. Authentication tokens are stored in encrypted device storage (Secure Store on mobile, encrypted localStorage on web). All AI processing is performed through our server-side Cloud Functions — API keys are never exposed to the App or stored on your device.

6. Data Retention and Deletion

Your data is retained while your account is active. You may delete your account at any time via Profile → Delete Account. Deletion permanently removes all your data from Firestore and Firebase Authentication. There is no way to recover deleted accounts.

7. Your California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to Know: You may request what personal information we collect, use, and disclose.
• Right to Delete: You may request deletion of your personal information. Use the Delete Account feature in the App, or contact us.
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale: We do not sell your personal information. We have never sold personal information.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

In the preceding 12 months, we have collected the categories of personal information described in Section 1. We have not sold any personal information in the preceding 12 months. We have disclosed personal information to the service providers listed in Section 4 for the business purposes described in Section 2.

To exercise these rights, contact us at heymaelle.app@gmail.com or use the in-app account deletion feature.

8. Do Not Sell My Personal Information

AnduStar, LLC does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for monetary or other valuable consideration. This applies to all users, including California residents under the CCPA.

9. Children’s Privacy

Hey Maëlle! is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

10. International Users

The App is operated from the United States. If you are accessing the App from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located.

11. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Utah. For full details on governing law and dispute resolution, see our Terms of Service.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by updating the effective date above. Continued use of the App after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us at:

AnduStar, LLC
Email: heymaelle.app@gmail.com