Pepsi® and Chef Carla Hall Announce the Return of Pepsi Dig In Day to Celebrate and Show Love for America's Black-Owned Restaurants

Pepsi Dig In Day returns Saturday, November 5th giving consumers the chance to win $5,000 for themselves and a $5,000 donation to their nominated Black-owned restaurant when they dine out and share on social media

PURCHASE, N.Y., Oct. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pepsi Dig In, the purpose-driven platform designed to drive access, business acceleration and awareness for Black-owned restaurants, is rallying Americans across the country to celebrate their local Black-owned restaurants by dining at them on Saturday, November 5th for Pepsi Dig In Day.

To kick off the festivities for Pepsi Dig In Day, now in its second year, Pepsi Dig In has teamed up with author, television personality and celebrity chef Carla Hall to encourage food lovers to come together and dine at Black-owned restaurants. From October 25th through November 6th, fans who post their meal and tag their favorite local Black-owned eatery will have the chance to win $5,000 for themselves and a $5,000 donation for the nominated restaurant, when they include @PepsiDigIn and #DigInShowLove #sweepstakes. See Official Rules for details and restrictions.

"I've always been passionate about celebrating the food and community that Black-owned restaurants bring to the table. Pepsi Dig In does a phenomenal job of supporting these culinary gems with initiatives like Pepsi Dig In Day. We can all make a tangible impact by dining at these restaurants and enjoying what they have to offer," said chef Carla Hall.

An annual initiative, Pepsi Dig In Day aims to drive consumers to patronize Black-owned restaurants and support the cornerstone of communities across the country. As part of the larger Pepsi Dig In program to drive business and visibility to Black-owned restaurants, Pepsi Dig In Day brings national awareness to Black restaurateurs by tapping into the network and scale that Pepsi provides.

"Pepsi Dig In Day is a movement to inspire diners to discover Black-owned restaurants they're excited to visit all year round. From rallying food lovers to providing tools for restauranteurs, our goal is to leverage the combined resources and power of our platform, partners, and fans to make a long-lasting impact," said Scott Finlow, Chief Marketing Officer of PepsiCo Global Foodservice.

This year, Pepsi Dig In is inspiring Americans to show love for their favorite local Black-owned eateries for Pepsi Dig In Day and beyond with activities including:

• Pepsi Dig In will cover the tab between $2,000 and $5,000 at select Black-owned restaurants on Pepsi Dig In Day (while supplies last). Brunch celebrations at Pepsi Dig In restaurant partners will feature a mix of live DJs, custom menus, and more at 20 select restaurants in major cities across the country including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Phoenix, among others. Fans can check @PepsiDigIn on social to find out where they can celebrate near them.
• Corporate partners rise to the occasion to support Pepsi Dig In Day by offering a sponsored lunch from Black-owned restaurants for their employees from October 31st through November 4th. Companies committed to Pepsi Dig In Corporate Week include the National Football League, National Hockey League, Tripadvisor, Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota United FC, BentoBox, Vail Resorts, Hudson Creative, Launch Kits, LiveRamp, Delaware North, Acceleration Community of Companies, Genesco Sports Enterprises, FUSE, Figure 8, Walton Isaacson, and others.
• Providing Black restauranteurs with funding and dedicated toolkits of templated brand materials to help bolster their marketing and social media efforts around Pepsi Dig In Day.
• Encouraging consumers to find their local Black-owned restaurants via EatOkra, and post and tag @PepsiDigIn and #DigInShowLove to help spread the word in their own communities.

Pepsi Dig In continues to offer Black restaurateurs access to resources like Black Restaurants Deliver, a free eight-week consultancy by the experts at Figure 8 that enables restaurants with the tools to meet consumer needs, increase business and improve their online presence. In addition, Pepsi Dig In provides access to opportunities for growth and visibility like its recent Restaurant Royalty Residency program bringing custom dishes from Black restauranteurs to Las Vegas for four-week residencies at MGM Resorts International Mandalay Bay and Luxor hotels. This collaboration is fostered by a shared commitment to building an inclusive and diverse culture for employees, guests, and community.

For further information on Pepsi Dig In, fans can visit PepsiDigIn.com and follow @PepsiDigIn on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates.

About Pepsi Dig In

Pepsi Dig In is the brand's multi-faceted platform designed to drive access, business acceleration, and awareness to Black-owned restaurants including millions in grants and resources. Launched in 2020 as part of PepsiCo's Racial Equality Journey (REJ), the company committed $50 million to support Black-owned businesses over five years, part of PepsiCo's larger REJ initiative totaling more than $400 million to increase representation within the company, support Black-owned businesses, and help to create economic opportunities in the communities it serves. To date, Pepsi Dig In has driven:

• Access, through a $10 million grant from the PepsiCo Foundation to the National Urban League to co-create the Black Restaurant Accelerator program, which provides funding, mentoring and management training to 500 Black restaurant owners in 12 cities over a five-year period.
• Business acceleration, by launching Black Restaurants Deliver, a pro bono digital and delivery consulting program that is helping restaurant owners adapt to the new consumer landscape.
• Consumer awareness, with the Restaurant Royalty program encouraging consumers to nominate and share their favorite Black-Owned restaurants to unlock access to unique opportunities, and National Dig In Day, an annual initiative driving consumers to visit these establishments.

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 $79 billion in net revenue in 2021, driven by a complimentary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for the planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Begins 10/25/22, 12:00:00 a.m. ET and ends 11/6/22, 11:59:59 p.m. ET. Open to legal U.S. residents residing in the 50 US/DC who are 18 or older (19 or older for AL/NE) at the time of entry. Void where prohibited. To enter without making a purchase, email [email protected] with "Pepsi Dig In Entry" in the Subject line and include (a) your first and last name, complete street address (no PO boxes), day phone number, DOB and email address; and (b) the name and address of the Black-owned restaurant you wish to nominate in the body of the email. Limit one entry per person per day, regardless of entry method. Subject to Official Rules: bit.ly/3TqENP1. Sponsor: Pepsi-Cola Company, 700 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY 10577.

SOURCE PepsiCo Beverages North America