Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Namak (managed by Seigo Labs Pvt Ltd). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your data when you use our services, including our website at namak.io and our mobile applications: Namak (AI Kitchen Manager) and Namak Expert (companion app for kitchen helpers and cooks).

1.1 Our Applications

• Namak: Our AI Kitchen Manager app for household users, available on iOS (App Store) and Android (Play Store). This app helps you manage your kitchen, plan meals, track inventory, and coordinate with your kitchen helpers.
• Namak Expert: Our companion app for kitchen helpers and cooks who work for Namak users, available on Android (Play Store). This app allows kitchen helpers to view active meal plans and report missing inventory items.

1.2 Definitions

• Users: Individuals using the Namak app for household kitchen management.
• Experts: Kitchen helpers and cooks who work for Users and use the Namak Expert app to assist with cooking tasks.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information Collected from Users (Namak App)

To provide you with a personalized kitchen management experience, we collect:

• Personal Identifiers:
  • Phone number (used for OTP-based authentication)
  • Name
  • Email address (optional)
• Kitchen DNA & Preferences:
  • Family size and member information
  • Dietary restrictions (vegetarian, non-vegetarian, vegan, etc.)
  • Health goals and conditions (e.g., diabetes, low salt, high protein, allergies)
  • Religious food rules (e.g., no onion-garlic days, fast days)
  • Taste preferences and favorite cuisines
• Contact Information: Phone numbers you provide for domestic help coordination. With your permission, we may access your device's contact list to make it easier for you to add your househelp's details when generating a code for the Namak Expert app. Contact data is used only for this purpose and is not stored on our servers.
• Location Information: With your permission, we may access your device's location when you use grocery delivery services within the app's built-in browser (WebView). This location data is shared directly with the grocery platform you are using and is not collected or stored on our servers.
• Usage Information:
  • Meal plan selections and interactions
  • Feedback and ratings on meals
  • Grocery list usage

2.2 Information Collected from Experts (Namak Expert App)

Namak Expert operates on a token-based access model. Experts do not create accounts. We collect minimal information:

• Access Tokens: Temporary access codes generated when Users share access with their kitchen helpers. These tokens are associated with specific User accounts.
• Voice Recordings: When Experts report missing inventory items via voice (in Hindi or English), voice recordings are sent to our servers for speech-to-text conversion. These recordings are immediately deleted after processing and are not stored.
• No Personal Information: We do not collect or store any personal identifiable information from Experts, such as names, phone numbers, email addresses, or any other PII.

2.3 Data Accessed by Experts

When an Expert uses an access token to connect with a User's account, they can access only the following information:

• Active Meal Plans: Recipe names, cooking instructions, ingredients and quantities, preparation steps for upcoming meals
• Recipe Videos: Embedded videos from web sources (such as YouTube) related to recipes

What Experts CANNOT Access:

• User's name, phone number, email address, or any personal identifiers
• User's health information, dietary restrictions, allergies, or medical conditions
• User's family information or household details
• User's religious preferences or food rules
• User's payment information or grocery platform accounts
• Past meal plans or meal history
• Any other User data not explicitly listed as accessible above

2.4 Camera and Microphone Access

For Users (Namak App):

• Camera Permission: We use your device camera to capture photos of food items (such as vegetables, pantry items, or refrigerator contents) for automatic identification and inventory management. Photos are sent to our servers for AI processing and are immediately deleted after processing. We do not store these images.
• Microphone Permission: We use your device microphone to allow voice input as an alternative to typing. Voice recordings are sent to our servers for speech-to-text conversion and are immediately deleted after processing. We do not store these recordings.
• User Control: You can revoke camera and microphone permissions at any time through your device settings. This will disable photo-based and voice-based input features.

For Experts (Namak Expert App):

• Microphone Permission: Experts use microphone access to report missing inventory items via voice in Hindi or English. Voice recordings are sent to our servers for speech-to-text conversion and are immediately deleted after processing. We do not store these recordings.
• No Camera Access: Namak Expert app does not request or use camera permissions.

2.5 Location and Contact Access

• Location Permission: We request location access only when you open grocery delivery websites (such as BigBasket, Zepto, or Swiggy Instamart) within the app's built-in browser (WebView). Your location is shared directly with these grocery platforms to enable delivery address detection and store availability. We do not collect, transmit to our servers, or store your location data.
• Contact Permission: We request access to your device's contact list solely to help you quickly select your househelp's phone number when generating a code for the Namak Expert app. The selected contact information is used only for this purpose. We do not upload, sync, or store your contact list on our servers.
• User Control: You can revoke location and contact permissions at any time through your device settings. Revoking location access will require you to manually enter your address on grocery platforms. Revoking contact access will require you to manually type your househelp's phone number.

3. How We Use Your Information

For Users (Namak App):

• Generate personalized meal plans that respect your health and religious constraints.
• Automate instructions for your kitchen helpers in vernacular languages.
• Track inventory levels and suggest "Smart Buy" options across different grocery delivery platforms.
• Improve our AI models to better understand Indian culinary nuances and household management.
• Generate access tokens for Experts you choose to share access with.

For Experts (Namak Expert App):

• Process access tokens to authenticate and authorize Expert access to specific User accounts.
• Display active meal plans to help Experts with cooking tasks.
• Process voice recordings to convert missing inventory reports to text for Users.
• Manage Expert-User associations and access permissions.

4. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal data. However, we may share information with:

• Authentication Providers: We use third-party service providers (such as WhatsApp/Meta) for account authentication and OTP delivery. Your phone number is shared with these providers solely for this purpose. (Namak App only - Experts do not authenticate)
• Service Providers: Third-party grocery platforms (like BigBasket, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart) only to facilitate your cart management. (Namak App only)
• Cloud Services: Secure servers used to host our application and process AI meal suggestions.
• Legal Obligations: When required by law to comply with legal processes or protect the rights of Namak.

Important Note on Expert Access:

When you grant an Expert access to your Namak account via Namak Expert app, we share only the limited data described in Section 2.3 (active meal plans and recipe information). We do not share your personal information, health data, dietary preferences, or any other User data with Experts beyond what is necessary for them to view active meal plans and report inventory. You have full control to revoke Expert access at any time through the Namak app.

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including:

• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS)
• Secure server infrastructure hosted on Amazon Web Services in India
• Regular security audits and updates
• Access controls limiting employee access to personal data
• Token-Based Expert Access: Expert access is controlled via secure, temporary tokens that can be revoked by Users at any time. Tokens automatically expire when a User deletes their account.
• Limited Expert Access: Experts can only view active meal plan information and cannot access User personal data, health information, or account settings.

Your profile information and interaction data are stored on secure servers located in India. Photos and voice recordings (from both Users and Experts) are processed on our servers but are immediately deleted after processing and are not stored.

While we strive to protect your personal information, please note that no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but continuously work to maintain the security of your information.

6. Your Rights

For Users (Namak App):

You have the right to access, correct, or delete your data at any time. If you wish to wipe your "Kitchen Profile" or opt-out of specific coordination features, you can do so within the app settings or by contacting our support team. You also have the right to:

• Grant or revoke Expert access at any time
• View which Experts have access to your account
• Control what data is shared with Experts (limited to active meal plans as described)

For Experts (Namak Expert App):

Since Experts do not have accounts and we do not store personal information about Experts, there is no personal data to access, correct, or delete. Expert access is controlled entirely by Users who grant the access tokens. If you are an Expert and have concerns about data access, please contact the User who provided you with the access code.

7. Children's Privacy

Namak is not intended for use by children under the age of 13 (or 16 in the European Economic Area). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under these ages.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@namak.io, and we will promptly delete such information from our systems.

8. Data Retention

For Users (Namak App):

• Account Information: Retained while your account is active and for up to 30 days after account deletion
• Profile and Preferences: Retained while your account is active
• Photos and Voice Recordings: Immediately deleted after AI processing (not stored)
• Usage and Interaction Data: Retained for up to 12 months for service improvement
• Communication Logs: Retained for up to 90 days

For Experts (Namak Expert App):

• Access Tokens: Retained while User account is active. Tokens immediately expire when:
  • User revokes Expert access through the Namak app
  • User deletes their account
• Voice Recordings: Immediately deleted after speech-to-text processing (not stored)
• Expert-User Associations: Deleted immediately upon User account deletion or when User revokes access

You may request deletion of your data at any time by contacting privacy@namak.io or using the account deletion feature in the app. Upon receiving your deletion request, we will permanently delete your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law. If you have granted Expert access to any kitchen helpers, their access tokens will immediately expire upon account deletion.

9. Third-Party Services

Our apps integrate with the following third-party services, each governed by their own privacy policies:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS): Data hosting and storage for both Namak and Namak Expert apps (servers located in India)
• Firebase (Google): Push notification delivery (Namak app only - Experts do not receive notifications)
• WhatsApp (Meta): Message delivery based on your authorization (Namak app only - Experts do not receive WhatsApp messages)

We may also display embedded content from YouTube and Instagram. When you interact with such content (including recipe videos in Namak Expert), those platforms may collect information according to their own privacy policies. We recommend reviewing their privacy policies.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons.

Update Note (February 7, 2026): This Privacy Policy has been updated to include coverage of our new Namak Expert app for kitchen helpers and cooks. The update clarifies how we handle Expert access, data collection from Experts, and the limited data Experts can access from User accounts.

When we make material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• Notify you through the app or via email
• For significant changes, request your consent where required by law

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. Your continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of those changes.

11. Contact Us

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

For data deletion requests, rights exercises, or privacy complaints, please email privacy@namak.io with "Privacy Request" in the subject line. We will respond within 30 days.