Privacy Policy

Effective Date: June 13, 2026

At Zova Trade, we handle the day-to-day work of shipping agricultural goods around the world and managing temperature-controlled cold chains to keep produce fresh. Because our supply networks and our website (https://zovatrade.com) connect people across different continents, we don’t look at data privacy as a local issue—to us, protecting your business information is a borderless responsibility.

We make sure our business follows major global privacy standards, from the EU’s GDPR and the Kenya Data Protection Act to the regulations stretching across the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. No matter where your company is located, our goal is simple: to meet or exceed your local privacy laws and keep your details secure.

Here is exactly how we handle your information.

1. The Information We Collect

We only ask for data that is genuinely necessary to clear customs, verify corporate identity, and fulfill international shipping obligations.

  • Company & Contact Details: Your business name, office address, registration certificate, tax ID, and import/export licenses. We also keep corporate emails and phone numbers, including WhatsApp contacts used for real-time tracking updates.
  • Trade & Shipping Logistics: Your banking details (SWIFT and IBAN), letters of credit, bills of lading, and required border-control paperwork like phytosanitary or organic certifications.
  • Digital Footprint: Basic technical info like your IP address, browser type, and system setup, which simply helps our website load and function correctly on your device.

2. Why We Need It (Legal Basis)

We do not collect data just for the sake of it. We process your information based on three straightforward needs:

  • Fulfilling Contracts: We need your details to ship orders, manage temperature-controlled transport, track cargo across borders, and handle invoicing.
  • Legal & Statutory Rules: International trade is heavily regulated. We process data to satisfy customs audits and mandatory agricultural checks—such as inspections by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and destination port authorities.
  • Security & Fraud Prevention: To protect our supply chain, we verify corporate credentials to filter out fraudulent inquiries and lookalike companies.

3. Global & Regional Compliance Standards

Because our users and clients are located worldwide, we respect the specific legal grounds required by different jurisdictions:

  • Europe (EU/EEA & UK): In line with the GDPR, we process your data based on explicit consent (for cookies/marketing), contractual necessity (to fulfill shipments), and legitimate business interests (fraud prevention). Any transfer of data outside of Europe is protected by strict international data transfer agreements.
  • United States: We respect state-level privacy protections (such as the California Consumer Privacy Act/CPRA). We do not sell your personal or corporate data to third parties for marketing purposes.
  • Africa & Rest of the World: We comply fully with the Kenya Data Protection Act at our operational base and adapt our safeguards to match the data sovereignty and localization laws of the countries we export to.

4. Cookies and Web Tracking

When you visit our site, we use cookies and basic tracking tools just to keep things running smoothly. We keep this to an absolute minimum:

  • Essential Cookies: These are mandatory. They let you navigate the site securely and log into your private trade or client portals. Without them, the website simply won’t work.
  • Performance & Analytics Cookies: These show us how people use the site—like which pages get the most traffic or if an error pops up. This data is completely anonymous and lumped together; we use it purely to fix bugs and make the site easier to use.
  • Managing Your Choices: You can change your preferences anytime using our website’s cookie banner. You can also block or clear cookies directly through your own web browser settings.

5. Who We Share Data With

Zova Trade has never sold, leased, or traded business or personal data, and we never will. However, international logistics requires us to share specific details with trusted third parties to execute your shipments:

  • Logistics & Freight Partners: The air freight operators, shipping lines, and licensed customs brokers at both your origin and destination ports who physically move and clear your cargo.
  • Financial Institutions: The commercial banks that process your wire transfers, manage letters of credit, and handle escrow accounts.
  • Government & Regulatory Bodies: Customs departments, border control, and global agricultural inspection agencies that legally clear shipments for entry.

We insist that all partners treat your proprietary commercial details with the same level of strict confidentiality that we do.

6. Keeping Your Data Safe & How Long We Keep It

We store transaction records on secure servers protected by firewalls and industry-standard encryption. Inside Zova Trade, access to your business records is strictly compartmentalized; only team members who actively manage your logistics or billing can access them.

We retain trade records only as long as required by international maritime law, tax regulations, and trade audit timelines. Once that window closes, the data is securely archived or permanently deleted.

7. Your Global Privacy Rights

No matter where you are based in the world, we believe you should have control over your information. You have the right to:

  • Ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Correct any incorrect or outdated information.
  • Request that we delete your data (as long as it doesn’t conflict with our legal obligations to keep trade records for customs/tax purposes).
  • Object to or restrict how we process your information.

If you have questions about how we manage your information, or if you need to exercise any of your rights, email our compliance team directly at info@zovatrade.com.