Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information collected by World Food Championships Holdings, LLC and its affiliated entities (collectively, "WFC") through our websites, mobile applications, event registration systems, competition platforms, and any other services we operate (collectively, the "Services").

By accessing or using our Services, registering for a WFC event, or submitting information to us through any channel, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our Services.

We collect information you provide directly to us, information we collect automatically when you use our Services, and information from third parties. The types of information we collect depend on how you interact with WFC.

• Registration & Account Information: When you register to compete, volunteer, judge, or attend a WFC event, we collect your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, date of birth, and payment information.
• Competitor Information: When registering as a competitor, we collect your competition category, qualifying event details, Golden Ticket information, team name, and competition history.
• Sponsor & Partner Information: Business name, contact name, billing address, and partnership tier information.
• Communications: When you contact us by email, phone, or through our website contact forms, we retain records of those communications.
• Newsletter & Marketing: Your email address and communication preferences when you subscribe to WFC updates.
• Survey & Feedback Data: Responses to surveys, feedback forms, or post-event questionnaires.

• Device & Browser Data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, and referring URLs.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, and navigation patterns across our websites.
• Location Data: General geographic location based on IP address. We do not collect precise GPS location without explicit permission.
• Cookies & Tracking Technologies: See Section 5 for detailed information about our use of cookies.

• Social Media Platforms: If you connect a social media account to your WFC profile or interact with WFC on social platforms, we may receive profile information consistent with your privacy settings on those platforms.
• Payment Processors: We receive transaction confirmations and billing information from our payment processors. We do not store full credit card numbers.
• Qualifying Event Organizers: When you win a Golden Ticket at a WFC-sanctioned qualifier, the event organizer may share your name, contact information, and qualifying category with us.

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: We share information with trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating our website, processing payments, managing registrations, and delivering communications. These providers are contractually obligated to use your information only as directed by WFC.
• Event Sponsors & Partners: With your explicit consent at registration, we may share your name and contact information with official WFC sponsors who have offered prizes, products, or benefits to competitors.
• Competition Results: Your name, hometown, competition category, and scores may be published as part of official WFC results, press releases, social media posts, and broadcast content.
• Qualifying Event Organizers: We may share relevant competitor data with organizers of WFC-sanctioned qualifier events to facilitate Golden Ticket verification and registration.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information when required by law, subpoena, court order, or government regulation, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect rights, property, or safety.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or substantially all of WFC's assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email or prominent website notice.
• Aggregated & De-Identified Data: We may share anonymized, aggregated data that cannot reasonably identify you with partners, media, and the public for research and promotional purposes.

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience, analyze site traffic, and support our marketing efforts. A cookie is a small file placed on your device when you visit our site.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. For more information, visit aboutcookies.org.

We may also use web beacons, pixel tags, and similar technologies in our emails to track email opens and clicks. You can disable this by turning off HTML display in your email client.

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

• Active Competitor Records: Retained indefinitely as part of official WFC competition history and records, including scores, rankings, and championship titles.
• Registration & Payment Records: Retained for a minimum of 7 years to comply with tax and financial recordkeeping requirements.
• Email & Marketing Lists: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion, with inactive records reviewed annually.
• Website Analytics: Aggregated analytics data retained for up to 26 months. Raw log data deleted within 14 months.
• Customer Service Records: Communications retained for up to 3 years to support quality assurance and dispute resolution.

When data is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymize it. You may request early deletion of your personal data subject to the exceptions outlined in Section 7.

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information. We honor these rights regardless of where you are located, to the extent technically and legally feasible.

California Residents (CCPA/CPRA): California residents have additional rights including the right to know what categories of personal information are collected, the right to opt out of the sale of personal information (note: we do not sell personal information), and the right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights.

European Residents (GDPR): If you are located in the European Economic Area, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation. Our legal bases for processing include contract performance, legitimate interests, legal obligation, and consent as described in Section 3.

The World Food Championships and our online Services are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent.

Competitors under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian register on their behalf and accept our Terms & Conditions. The parent or guardian assumes responsibility for the minor's participation and their personal data.

We implement industry-standard technical, administrative, and physical security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction.

• Encryption: All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using TLS (Transport Layer Security). Sensitive data at rest is encrypted using AES-256.
• Payment Security: We use PCI-DSS compliant payment processors. We do not store full credit card numbers on our servers.
• Access Controls: Access to personal information is restricted to authorized personnel who need it to perform their job functions.
• Security Audits: We conduct regular security assessments and vulnerability testing of our systems.
• Incident Response: We maintain an incident response plan. In the event of a data breach that affects your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and applicable regulatory authorities within the timeframes required by law.

While we take significant steps to protect your information, no security system is impenetrable. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your data. You are also responsible for keeping any login credentials confidential.

The World Food Championships operates globally, with competitors from nearly 40 countries. If you are accessing our Services 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 and our central database is operated.

By using our Services or providing us with your information, you consent to the transfer of your personal information to the United States and other countries where we operate, which may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

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 page
• Post a prominent notice on our homepage or send an email notification to registered users
• For significant changes, provide at least 30 days' advance notice before the new policy takes effect

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of our Services after any modifications constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. If you do not agree to the updated policy, you should discontinue use of our Services.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please reach out to us through any of the following channels. We are committed to responding to all privacy-related inquiries within 30 days.