Dig, a vegetable-centric, multi-format restaurant group, has raised series F funding of $65 million for a growth plan coupled with progressive employee benefits and talent retention strategies, according to a company press release.

The round, supported by new and existing investors including EHI, the fund affiliated with Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group, Monogram Capital Partners, and Avalt, as well as new investors Kitchen Fund, Eminence Capital, LP and Inherent Group, enables the re-opening of key locations temporarily closed due to COVID-19 and shifts growth to markets that will bring its total restaurant count from 30 to 60 over the next three years.

The center of Dig's growth plans show competitive operational progress that works to ensure a healthy, agile, and happy workforce. The so-called "great resignation" showed a record 1.3 million open jobs in hotels, bars and restaurants in April alone. Dig's progress, plans and commitments led by CEO Adam Eskin are focused on:

  • developmental and sustainable career progression opportunities.
  • Their newly developed Dig Academy at their teaching kitchen offers a six-week program that all leaders currently go through.
  • The four day workweek: The four-day workweek model has been tested over the past 12 months in their Boston and Philadelphia restaurants whereby all full-time employees (salaried and hourly) have the option to work a compressed four-day schedule with longer shifts and three days off. Beta insights show positive impacts on team members' ability to create balance, fulfill personal needs, and execute tasks more efficiently when on the job.
  • Parental leave and support: As of May 2021, all salaried leaders (of any gender) have been offered a four-month fully-paid parental leave. Dig is also in development with the city of New York about running a pilot program for a company-supported daycare.
  • Build out stage program for 232 Bleecker: With the goal of providing DIG restaurant team members continued learning and development pathways within the company, Dig's full-service restaurant, 232 Bleecker, will launch a two-week rotation that will allow employees to work across different stations including prep and live service work.
  • Wages and benefits: The company has instituted a weekly COVID bonus for all hourly workers. The budget adjustment has segued into permanent increases in base with the current average hourly wages in Boston are $17.84 and $18.85 in NYC. A gratitude equity bonus is offered to all full-time, salaried employees.
  • Growth and talent attraction: Eskin is on the hunt to fill eight positions with diverse candidates, including chief operating officer, head of engineering, head of marketing, over 20 chef roles, and finally, several board seats, where he plans to recruit diverse leaders primarily from high growth consumer and technology companies.
  • Scaling "from scratch" and doing good: Despite re-opening 13 locations since the start of the year, Dig will not compromise on its vegetable-forward menu that focuses on responsible sourcing and cooking "from scratch."
  • A diverse food system: Part of Dig's mission to rebuild the food system is to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive food system by prioritizing sourcing from historically underrepresented groups including BIPOC farmers, queer farmers, women farmers and beginning farmers.
  • Dig Acres: Produce also comes from Dig Acres. Dig Acres runs a Farmer Apprenticeship program that provides land, equipment and mentorship to beginning farmers, which is projected to serve 80,000 homemade meals annually.
  • DigFeeds: Dig began DigFeeds at the start of COVID to help healthcare workers on the frontlines and to date has donated over 225,000 meals to hospitals, homeless shelters, and various community organizations.
  • "Cook for a Person" ethos: Fall seasonal dishes include roasted sweet potatoes, cashew kale caesar salad, roasted squash with pumpkin spice and fried sage, and their Jasper Hill mac and cheese made with a Jasper Hill three-cheese blend, Ithaca milk, whole-wheat pasta, and crispy panko bread crumbs.

Dig was founded by Eskin in 2011.

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