PURCHASE, N.Y., Oct. 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Pepsi
officially announces the first-ever Dig In Day, a
celebration of Black-owned restaurants and chefs across America. On
Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, everyone with
an appetite is invited to dig in and uplift Black-owned restaurants
in their community simply by enjoying delicious food and refreshing
beverages.
Pepsi Dig In Day is the latest and most
broad-reaching initiative the brand is spearheading to drive
$100 million in sales for Black-owned
restaurants over the next five years. A concerted effort to support
these diverse culinary establishments that serve as the cornerstone
for communities across the nation, the Dig In Day national
call to action will be supported by dedicated advertising,
partnerships, business resources and local events.
As Black-owned businesses encounter systemic barriers, which
have been exacerbated during the pandemic, Pepsi built the Dig In
platform last fall to drive awareness and support for
Black-owned restaurants. Since then, Pepsi Dig In has
rallied thousands of Americans to support
Black-owned eateries and provided resources to help Black
restaurateurs thrive. Many corporations and people vowed to support
Black-owned businesses; Dig In Day gives everybody a way to
reignite and sustain that commitment.
How Restaurants Can Participate in Dig In Day
Pepsi is
sharing creative ways to get people ordering online or walking
through the doors of Black-owned restaurants. Black restaurateurs
are invited to visit PepsiDigIn.com to access resources to grow
their business and make the most of Dig In Day, including
dedicated toolkits to provide restaurant owners with templated
brand materials to help bolster their marketing and social media
efforts.
To gear up for November 6, Pepsi
is collaborating with JJ Johnson, an award-winning chef, founder,
TV personality, author and owner of FIELDTRIP restaurants located
throughout New York City. Chef
Johnson will help create immersive Dig In Day experiences
for food-lovers, while also sharing the many ways industry
colleagues can participate to help increase sales.
"Opening and sustaining a thriving restaurant is challenging,
and these hurdles are even greater for my Black peers in the food
industry," said Chef Johnson. "Pepsi Dig In Day is an opportunity
to come together over a delicious meal while supporting restaurants
that create jobs and uplift our communities."
How Consumers Can Support: Eat. Upload. Repeat.
Food
lovers across the U.S. are invited to join together on Dig In
Day to create a tidal wave of positive impact for Black-owned
restaurants. The Pepsi DigInPassport.com, a new online destination,
makes it easy to find one near you and earn rewards. The
mobile-friendly site helps people seamlessly explore and select
Black-owned restaurants, track purchases to show their support, and
earn a chance for rewards that continue to pay it forward to the
restaurant community.
Here's how people can get involved on Dig In Day and
beyond:
- Eat: Dine at a local Black-owned restaurant, in person
or by ordering, and save your receipt.
- Upload: Visit DigInPassport.com to sign up, upload your
receipt, and automatically earn a chance to win culinary rewards.
For those who upload their receipts on Dig In Day, Pepsi
also will offer access to a soon-to-be-announced, limited-edition
premium collectible item.
- Repeat: Start supporting local Black-owned eateries
before, during and after the special day; and encourage friends and
family to do the same by sharing delicious meals on social with
#DigInDay.
"Black-owned restaurants shape the food scene in our
neighborhoods. Now there's a dedicated day to support them as well
as a resource to make it easy for people to explore and try their
wide variety of delicious cuisine," said Scott Finlow, Chief
Marketing Officer, PepsiCo Global Foodservice. "We're asking people
to recommit their support and make their meal count on Dig In Day
and every day. And we invite restaurateurs - no matter where they
are in their entrepreneurial journey - to tap into free resources
to help bolster their businesses and generate greater
visibility."
How Companies Can Join the Movement
As employees
increasingly want employers to act with purpose and many continue
to struggle with stressors of remote working, Pepsi is inviting
other companies to join the movement by inspiring their employees
to participate in Dig In Day. Some of the
first corporate partners to commit to buying their associates
lunch from a Black-owned restaurant on October 28 leading up to Dig In Day
include:
- James Beard Foundation, a nonprofit organization that
celebrates, supports, and elevates the people behind America's food
culture.
- BentoBox, a marketing and commerce platform dedicated to
helping restaurants accelerate growth.
- Intersport, an independent media and marketing firm with
services that span creative, digital, sponsorship, experiential and
hospitality.
- Golin, a global public relations agency that helps companies
create change that matters.
About Pepsi Dig In
In 2020, PepsiCo committed more
than $400 million to
advance racial equality within the company, industry and
communities it serves. As part of that, the company dedicated
$50 million to support Black-owned
businesses over the next five years. As a result, PepsiCo has
developed a multi-faceted platform designed to drive access,
business acceleration, and awareness including millions in grants
and resources. For example:
- Access: The PepsiCo Foundation bestowed a $10 million grant to the National Urban League to
co-create the Black Restaurant Accelerator program, which will
provide funding, mentoring and management training to 500 Black
restaurant owners in 12 cities over the next five years. The
program's first grantees were announced over the summer and the
effort is on track to identify 100 grantees by the end of the
year.
- Business acceleration: Pepsi kicked off Black
Restaurants Deliver, a pro bono digital and delivery consulting
program that is helping restaurant owners adapt to the new consumer
landscape.
Restaurateurs interested in learning more can visit
pepsidigin.com/resources-for-restaurateurs and all food lovers
can follow @PepsiDigIn on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by
consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200
countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more
than $70 billion in net revenue in
2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that
includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana and
SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of
enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate
more than $1 billion each in
estimated annual retail sales.
Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in
Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning
with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the
marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business
strategy and brands. For more information, visit
www.pepsico.com.
About JJ Johnson
JJ Johnson is a James Beard Award-winning chef, TV Personality
and Author best known for his barrier-breaking cuisine informed by
the Caribbean flavors of his
upbringing. Chef JJ's signature cooking style combines culturally
relevant ingredients and classically trained technique with a
global point of view.
At FIELDTRIP, his made-to-order rice bowl shop that debuted in
2019, Chef JJ highlights rice as a hero ingredient and showcases it
in recipes sourced from around the world. FIELDTRIP's first
outpost opened in Harlem and has since grown to two additional
locations throughout New York City
in Rockefeller Center and Long Island
City. As one of the only fast casual restaurants on
Esquire's "America's Best New Restaurants" list in 2020, FIELDTRIP
utilizes sustainable ingredients and ethically sourced vegetables
and proteins, creating a flavorful and diverse dining experience.
The brand's motto, "Rice is Culture," was born out of Chef JJ's
belief that rice is the universal ingredient that connects us all
and can be found at the center of the table in almost every
community. Chef JJ is a Mastercard Ambassador and a television host
on Just Eats with Chef JJ airing on TV One's network Cleo
TV.
Media Contact
Gina Judge
gina.judge1@pepsico.com
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SOURCE PepsiCo