PRIVACY POLICY

Ard Coffee Co. LLC

Last Updated: August 17, 2026

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**NOTICE**By providing your phone number, you agree to receive SMS text

messages from Ard Coffee Co. Message frequency varies.

Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help.

1. INTRODUCTION

Ard Coffee Co. LLC ("Ard Coffee Co.," "we," "us," or "our") is

committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains

how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information

when you interact with our website (ardcoffeeco.com), SMS messaging

program, phone communications, AI-powered operations assistant,

in-person services, events, and any other services we offer

(collectively, the "Services").

By using our Services, you agree to the collection and use of your

information as described in this Privacy Policy.

Ard Coffee Co. LLC

262 North 7th Street, Newark, New Jersey 07107

Email: ardcoffeeco@gmail.com

SMS: +1 (973) 587-8802

Phone: +1 (888) 559-9890

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2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Name and contact information (phone number, email address,

mailing address)

• Order details and purchase history

• Wholesale and catering inquiry information

• Event sign-up details

• Communications you send us (emails, texts, form submissions,

voicemails)

• Payment information (processed by third-party payment processors;

we do not store full card numbers)

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Website usage data (pages visited, time spent, referring URL)

• Device information (browser type, operating system, IP address)

• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 9)

• SMS interaction data (message timestamps, delivery status,

opt-in/opt-out events)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Payment processors (transaction confirmations, fraud signals)

• Twilio Inc. (SMS/voice delivery data — see Section 7)

• Analytics providers (aggregated website usage data)

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3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We use the information we collect to:

• Process and fulfill your orders, wholesale agreements, and

catering bookings

• Send transactional SMS and email communications related to

your orders, events, and business relationship with us

• Send promotional messages (only with your express prior consent)

• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support

• Operate and improve our website and Services

• Comply with applicable laws and regulations (including TCPA,

CCPA/CPRA, NJDPA, and other applicable privacy laws)

• Detect and prevent fraud or unauthorized activity

• Analyze usage trends to improve our Services

• Operate our internal AI-powered operations assistant

(see Section 8)

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4. SMS MESSAGING AND TCPA COMPLIANCE

4.1 Program Description

Ard Coffee Co. operates an SMS messaging program through phone

numbers +1 (973) 587-8802 and +1 (888) 559-9890. We send

transactional, operational, and (with your express consent)

promotional text messages.

Full SMS Opt-In Policy: ardcoffeeco.com/sms-opt-in-policy

4.2 How You Opt In

You may opt in by:

• Texting START, YES, or UNSTOP to our SMS numbers

• Submitting your number through our website with consent

• Providing your number in person with verbal or written consent

CONSENT IS NOT A CONDITION OF PURCHASE.

4.3 Message Frequency

Frequency varies. Promotional subscribers receive up to 4 messages

per month. Transactional messages are sent as needed.

4.4 Message and Data Rates

Standard message and data rates may apply. Contact your carrier

for details.

4.5 How to Opt Out

Reply any of the following keywords to opt out at any time:

STOP, STOPALL, CANCEL, END, QUIT, UNSUBSCRIBE, REVOKE, or OPTOUT

You will receive one final confirmation and no further messages.

To resubscribe, text START at any time.

4.6 Help

Text HELP or INFO to either of our SMS numbers at any time,

or contact us at ardcoffeeco@gmail.com or +1 (973) 587-8802.

4.7 TCPA Compliance

We comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). We do

not use autodialers to send unsolicited messages. All SMS recipients

have provided prior express written consent as required by law.

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5. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third

parties for their marketing purposes.

We may share your information with:

5.1 Service Providers (Data Processors)

Third parties who process data on our behalf under written agreements,

including:

• Twilio Inc. — SMS/voice delivery infrastructure

• OpenAI — AI language model processing (see Section 8)

• Payment processors — transaction processing

• Website hosting and analytics providers

These providers are contractually restricted from using your data

for any purpose other than performing services for us.

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order,

or government authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary

to protect our rights, prevent fraud, or ensure safety.

5.3 Business Transfers

If Ard Coffee Co. is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of

assets, your information may be transferred as part of that

transaction. We will notify you before your data is transferred and

becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you have given

us explicit consent to do so.

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6. DATA RETENTION

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy

• Comply with legal, accounting, or reporting obligations

• Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements

Typical retention periods:

• Order and transaction records: 7 years (IRS requirement)

• SMS messaging records: 1 year

• Call recordings: 1 year

• Website analytics data: 2 years

• Customer service communications: 3 years

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.

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7. TWILIO — SMS AND VOICE INFRASTRUCTURE

We use Twilio Inc. as our SMS and voice communications provider.

Twilio processes your phone number and message content on our behalf

as a data processor. Your data is subject to Twilio's privacy policy

in addition to ours. Twilio is compliant with SOC 2 Type II, GDPR,

CCPA, and HIPAA (where applicable).

For more information, visit: https://www.twilio.com/legal/privacy

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8. AI-POWERED OPERATIONS ASSISTANT

8.1 What It Is

Ard Coffee Co. operates an internal AI assistant powered by OpenAI's

GPT-4 language model. This system is used exclusively by our

authorized business owners for internal operational tasks such as

drafting communications, managing inventory alerts, and organizing

business information.

8.2 How It Handles Data

• The AI assistant processes only business-operational data

provided by our authorized owners

• All AI-generated outbound messages require human owner review

and approval before being sent to any third party

• No AI-generated message is ever transmitted without explicit

human confirmation

• We do not use your personal data to train AI models

8.3 OpenAI as Data Processor

AI processing is performed by OpenAI, LLC, acting as a data processor.

OpenAI's data handling is governed by their privacy policy at

https://openai.com/privacy and their API data usage policies, which

prohibit using API-submitted data for model training.

8.4 AI Limitations

AI-generated content may be inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated.

All AI outputs are reviewed by a human owner before any action is

taken or any message is sent.

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9. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

Our website (ardcoffeeco.com) may use cookies and similar tracking

technologies to improve your experience.

9.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential cookies: Required for the website to function properly

• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site

(e.g., Google Analytics)

• Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

9.2 Your Cookie Choices

You may control cookie settings through your browser settings.

Note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

We do not use cookies to serve third-party advertising.

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10. YOUR RIGHTS — CALIFORNIA (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights

under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California

Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

• Right to Know: Request information about what personal data

we collect, use, and disclose

• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal data,

subject to certain exceptions

• Right to Correct: Request correction of inaccurate personal data

• Right to Opt Out of Sale: We do not sell personal data

• Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information

• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against

you for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise your rights, contact us at ardcoffeeco@gmail.com.

We will respond within 45 days as required by law.

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11. YOUR RIGHTS — NEW JERSEY (NJDPA)

If you are a New Jersey resident, you have the following rights

under the New Jersey Data Protection Act (NJDPA):

• Right to access your personal data

• Right to correct inaccurate personal data

• Right to delete personal data you have provided to us

• Right to data portability (obtain a copy of your data)

• Right to opt out of targeted advertising, sale of personal

data, and profiling

To exercise your rights, contact us at ardcoffeeco@gmail.com.

We will respond within 45 days. You may appeal a decision by

contacting us and requesting review.

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12. DATA SECURITY

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical

security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encrypted data storage and transmission (HTTPS/TLS)

• Access controls limiting data access to authorized personnel

• Secure API key management for third-party services

• Regular review of our data handling practices

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot

guarantee absolute security, but we are committed to protecting

your data using industry-standard practices.

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13. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

Our Services are 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 collected information from a child under

13, contact us immediately at ardcoffeeco@gmail.com and we will

delete the information promptly.

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14. THIRD-PARTY LINKS

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not

responsible for the privacy practices of those websites. We encourage

you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

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15. CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do,

we will update the "Last Updated" date and, for material changes,

notify you via SMS or email. Your continued use of our Services

after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

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16. CONTACT US

For privacy questions, requests, or concerns:

Ard Coffee Co. LLC

Attn: Privacy

262 North 7th Street

Newark, New Jersey 07107

Email: ardcoffeeco@gmail.com

SMS: +1 (973) 587-8802

Phone: +1 (888) 559-9890

We will respond to all privacy inquiries within 5 business days.

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