Jo Jessica Serrano (4:46)

I know you just mentioned limited time offers a little bit and I know that's a huge driver in a lot of fast, casual, fast food space. But how do you balance trend driven items versus ones that have long term potential?

Jessica Serrano (5:01)

Well, you know, I started my career in this space back in 2014 at Taco Bell. And I would say that was peak trend chasing at that time. It was all about mashups, remember, like the cronut. And so, you know, Taco Bell had one of its most successful launches was the Doritos Locos Taco. The mashup of A Taco and a Dorito. I worked on Quesalupa, I worked on Quesarito, a bunch of products that were basically two things being combined. And at that time, that really resonated with the Millennial guest. And I think in a lot of ways, that playbook just isn't quite right anymore, because it's less about kind of the shock value of something crazy and Instagram worthy, as they used to say. And I think people are more interested in thinking about their diet holistically and how do the items that they're consuming serve their lives. And so I think people think about food in a more balanced way. Sometimes you want to indulge, but a lot of times you also want to make sure that you're eating foods that have pronounceable ingredients and transparency. And so that's what's been fun about working on a brand like Dig, which is much more at the center of how this next generation is thinking about eating both at home and also when they're on the go. And so for us at Digg, we do have some pretty tight parameters around how we think about menu innovation. You know, we're not interested in adding preservatives or over complicated ingredient lists. And I think, like, the crispy chicken is a good example where we, you know, crispy chicken is hot. It's. I think it's more than a trend. It's just a big part of fast casual. In some ways. You could point to the Popeyes chicken sandwich as, you know, the moment that kind of started the crispy chicken wars, if you will.

Jo Jessica Serrano (6:57)

But.

Jessica Serrano (6:58)

But when we think about, does it make sense for Dig? Do people want that from Dig? We landed in a place where we actually are delivering a baked expression of that. And I think what feels really special about it is it tastes super craveable and crispy and crunchy, but it's not deep fried. So always kind of having that layer on top of not just what's relevant within the category, but how do you do it in a way that feels right to your brand is pretty critical to staying true to our ethos.

Jo Jessica Serrano (7:28)

I know you mentioned that with the sandwich, you got a lot of consumer feedback that someone wants something more than a bowl. What type of feedback are you looking at and insights you're looking at to drive these decisions?

Jessica Serrano (7:42)

Yeah, you know, it's funny, coming from larger brands, I've seen lots of very formal and expensive ways of gathering feedback. And. And it's been fun at Digg to realize that, like, great ideas can come from anywhere. One of the first insights that we were, that we had a category gap was because one of our locations was running sandwiches. Just kind of. That's the beauty of Digg. You know, you've got chefs in every location. If they want to run a sandwich, they can. And the Digg support team, you know, we don't work in an office, so the team kind of posts up at different restaurants throughout the city. We noticed that, like, a lot of people were working out of this location on Bleecker. And so I would just, like, ask people, like, why do you. Like, why do you work at Bleecker? Why is everybody working at Bleecker? And one of the things I would hear, because the support team eats for free Dig every day, is, well, they have sandwiches, and, like, sometimes I don't feel like having a bowl, because if you eat Dig every day, you know, maybe that gets to be kind of redundant. So you start to go, okay, well, is. Could that be the same for our guests? And I also started to see it in catering orders. So we would have catering clients that would say, love your food, but sometimes I don't. You know, in a meeting, I want to be able to serve people a sandwich and a side, not, like, have them, you know, eating bowls, et cetera. So we just kind of started seeing these signals, both from our employees and also our customers, that they wanted to eat us. In other occasions where we just weren't really. Where the bull wasn't cutting it.

Jo Jessica Serrano (9:17)

Yeah, I remember walking past the Bleecker location and look like it was always popping off. There was always people in there just chilling. Where the one in Flatiron is more of to go type of crowd, which is interesting to see that different areas have different culturally things. Even in New York, where it's one city, but different areas do different things.

Jessica Serrano (9:40)

And that area, yeah, totally.

Jo Jessica Serrano (9:43)

One thing I wanted to ask, too, is how much does pop culture influence menu development? Like, for example, viral fruit trends on TikTok, social media? How did that influence what you build?

Jessica Serrano (9:57)

I would say in my past, some of my past roles, significantly, I think Taco Bell is an example, is a brand that really keeps an ear to pop culture and innovates accordingly. And at Digg, I'd say we're a little bit more committed to the journey that our food takes to get to our back door and then what we do with that food once it's in our kitchen. So I would say it's a little less tied to, like, what the hottest thing is. But, of course, as marketers, we do keep Our ear to what are things that seem to be trending. And, you know, one of the things that I currently have been noticing quite a bit is Caesar salad wraps. Have you seen these, like, really craveable ones? There's obviously some restaurants that have crowned themselves or have been crowned as having the best Caesar wrap. And every time I see that, I'm like, I feel like Dig could be a part of that conversation. We're not, like, actively prioritizing it, but anywhere where there's like something authentically going on related to cooking think makes sense for Dig more than, you know, flash in the pan, pop culture moment.

Jo Jessica Serrano (11:12)

Yeah. There's a spot in Boca that it went viral on TikTok. And just for that Caesar app. And every time you try visit that spot, you see and it's in this just regular shopping center. Shopping center, yeah. And it's just, you see the line through the shopping center just to get that because it went popular on TikTok. So it's crazy how TikTok has just made trends happen like that.

Jessica Serrano (11:38)

Yeah, for sure.

Jo Jessica Serrano (11:40)

I want to go into how you think about marketing new products like the crispy chicken or the sandwiches. So once you decided that, hey, we're going to put this on our menu, what is the process of making sure people know about it? Making sure there's materials out there, making sure it gets out to the public?

Jessica Serrano (12:00)

Yeah. So one of the things that I came to realize after, you know, getting to know the Dig brand from the inside is that while vegetables are very much core to the brand's ethos, there are quite a few people that if you haven't tried Digg, are turned off by vegetables. Said differently. It's not an acquisition driver. You know, I would have conversations when we'd be going to open a new restaurant and people be like, oh, I don't really like vegetables. And so you lose them there. Although I think most people who have tried Dig would say there's something really special about the way that we roast those vegetables that makes them delicious. You know, as an anecdote, my husband doesn't like carrots, but then he tried the Dig carrots and he was like, oh, I like Dig carrots. You know, And I think a lot of people have that experience with Dig. But an A frame that is, you know, a sign outside of a restaurant that is pushing carrots or broccoli may not convert somebody who's never tried Digg. I think a lot of Diggs early days came through word of mouth. So, you know, having a one on one Conversation with somebody saying, well, you've got to try. It works, but it may, it doesn't work in ads. And we've tested and proved that actually leading with protein is what drives new users to tri dig. So really leaning into, you know, we've got charred chicken, herb chicken, crispy chicken. Showcasing that alongside veg makes people go, okay, you know, they come for the protein and then we find that they stay for the veg. So from a funnel perspective, I'm thinking more about leading with protein and top of funnel tactics like paid ads or signage or out of home. But then once you're in the funnel, you may hear more about the story behind our vegetables in our email sequences or on social. And you're more likely to repeat and be a frequent customer because of the innovation that we do season to season on the veg. So they both play a role. But we've come to realize that talking about them at different parts of the funnel matters.

Jo Jessica Serrano (14:17)

Yeah, that totally makes sense. I mean, I'm a big protein person, so when I go to a place I'm looking, okay, I want protein, but I want to try every veg when I see it there. But when I go in, I'm probably going to say I need some protein and then I need some sort of vegetable with it. Yeah, so you say that vegetables are the core. So how do you storytell about vegetables and the process of getting your vegetables and what makes your vegetables different from other people?

Jessica Serrano (14:50)

Well, I think Dig did a lot of that in the early days. Spent a lot of time actually on the farms highlighting the farmers, you know, talking about the distance that a vegetable should travel before getting to your plate. And I think a lot of that was really critical to establishing Digg as a really credible player in the farm to table space. And now in our next chapter, what I'm excited about doing is talking more about how we prepare those vegetables. Because I think when you think about the hierarchy of people's needs, ultimately, while they love knowing that we're thoughtfully sourcing the ingredients, and in a lot of ways I think that's become table stakes at this point. We have to make sure that we're also telling the story about why it's delicious. And I think that that's really differentiated for Dig versus other players in the space, you know, each. What I'm proud about our menu is that all of our vegetables really stand on their own. They're not, it's not about like the sum of its parts. Like truly, you know, our carrots, they come in as Whole carrots, we cut them down, we put them on a sheet, tray, oil, salt, that's it. You know, same with sweet potatoes, same with the broccoli. And so just really being able to talk about the simplicity of how we prepare those vegetables, I think is the next chapter of storytelling. And I also think it's pretty special that every dig is run by a chef operator. One thing that I came to appreciate working at Digg is just how much the love of cooking is truly a part of the culture. You know, when you first start at Digg, every employee works, the support team members work in the restaurants to make sure we actually understand how the business works. So my first, you know, 15 minutes as an employee at Digg, they're like, you're going to make the pesto today. Honestly, I'd never thought about how pesto was made before that. And now I don't buy store bought pesto because I actually know it's pretty easy to blend it and make it at home. And so even just as an employee, I've become more confident in cooking as a part of being a part of this brand. And so I think in some ways that's what our next chapter is dedicated to, is also building that love of cooking in our audience, which is a little counterintuitive because our business is predicated upon you not cooking. But I think by showcasing our love of it and maybe even demystifying it, it would be great if it also inspired people to get in the kitchen more. I think as a society, we have this weird relationship with cooking where a lot of people were kind of obsessed with it, but also intimidated by it. I think that's reflected in the Food Network and all the shows and all the chefs, celebrities. But then the average American, like, knows how to make five dishes, One of them is eggs. So there's this weird juxtaposition between, like, we revere it, but we're also really afraid of it. And so I think Dig has the potential to be a really interesting voice in that conversation and demystifying cooking.

Jo Jessica Serrano (18:05)

I have a question on that love, because I heard the founder of Ghost Kitchens talk about how AI and robots are going to start coming into the kitchen. And I know you already, chef approach, human approach. So how do you balance the people who are going straight robotic innovation versus making sure that humans are still loving that? Because I feel they were talking not right now, but in 30, 40 years that there's going to just be robots making a lot of raw food and we're not going to think about It.

Jessica Serrano (18:38)

Yeah, you know, that's what they say. It's hard to. It's hard to predict. What I can tell you is I believe that humans will continue to be really central to Digs cooking, you know, for the foreseeable future. I'll tell you, like, even things like the corn that we do, we have a street roasted corn that we do every summer that is really popular. We still shuck that by hand in restaurant, which is hard work. It is not. There are lots of other ways to do it, but we believe that that is part of what makes that dish special there. I think there's a lot of ways that automation will, you know, we will indirectly benefit from automation through other parts of the food chain. Whether it's, you know, early on in how our partners are preparing vegetables, but then AI can help in other ways in the kitchen. You know, maybe it's going to help us be more efficient in doing inventory or ordering ingredients. But in terms of how we cook our food, I don't see any time in the future where we'll be replacing the chefs with robots.

Jo Jessica Serrano (19:50)

Yeah, I think it will be more on the consumer side, where you enter what macros you need for the rest of the day and dig spits out, hey, you should get the chicken, the carrots, and something like that, where you less thinking about what. Cause everybody goes through that crisis, like, what do I need to have for dinner? What should I have for dinner? Especially when you're in a couple. So just taking the thought process, hey, I need this much protein for the rest of the day. What does dig? What can I get a dig? I think that's where more of the innovation will come sooner.

Jessica Serrano (20:27)

That excites me. Yeah. And then one of the ways that from a marketing standpoint, we're really leaning into AI, or I think we will more in the future is guest feedback. So, you know, we have a number of inbound messages from guests on any given day telling us that they had a great experience, that they had a bad experience, that, you know, something was missing from their order. And so being able to leverage AI to help us learn, like, what are some of the macro themes, which restaurants are providing higher hospitality, which restaurants need to be more on time with their deliveries. That kind of thing is something that we're, I think, just scratching the surface on and will continue to be an interesting space for AI.

Jo Jessica Serrano (21:14)

What is the hardest part of growing a brand like Dig compared to these fast food chains that you've worked with?

Jessica Serrano (21:23)

Well, the fast food chains I've worked with have over 90% household awareness in the U.S. you know, both Taco Bell, Burger King have been around since, you know, 50s, 60s. Digg was founded in 2011. And so I think that's one of the things that when I first joined the Digg team, there was maybe a little bit of a proximity bias that, oh, everybody knows Digg. Because you kind of feel that if you work in Manhattan. Lots of times when I chat with people about working at Digg, they're like, oh, I love Digg. I eat there all the time. But that's a very narrow set of folks in New York. And so the reality is that Digg still has a ton of room to grow awareness, not only in the newer markets, but even within Manhattan. And so when you think about scaling a brand like this beyond its current footprint, it's about figuring out how to make it an easy get for people who haven't even heard of the brand yet. So whereas, you know, a Taco Bell or a Burger King, if everybody knows about it, you're really. It's more like competing for a share of stomach. How do I get you to think about Taco Bell instead of the other fast food options at Dig? It's, you know, do you even know about Digit? Do you understand what it stands for? Do you understand what to do when you walk into a restaurant and you're trying to order for the first time? So just a different stage in the awareness journey.

Jo Jessica Serrano (22:53)

That's very interesting. I think when you're so central in a market, you have that bias that, hey, just because people are talking about me, my brand, doesn't mean everybody knows my brand and everybody's using my brand, or even if they know my brand, they're not eating at my brand. So there's all that. Having that bias is hard. And then you break out of it a little when you start in new markets and nobody really even knows who you are. And then you reignite the flame that, hey, we need to, yeah, get, get into people's heads. Which is the hardest part in the food space, is making sure you're the first choice when someone's hungry.

Jessica Serrano (23:32)

Yeah. Mental availability. Yeah. I mean, I had humbling experience recently where I had my cousin meet me at Dig, and she had never eaten there before, and she had so many questions looking at the menu of like, how do I do this? And so that even, you know, walking. Inviting someone who's never been to check out your website or, you know, experience your brand sometimes can unlock new perspectives. Because we're so close to it, we look at it every day.

Jo Jessica Serrano (24:00)

Yeah. I remember my first time at Dake. I was looking and said, where's the menu? How do I order this? What's the process? And then someone gave me a menu and I was like, oh, it's really easy to do it. But I was just looking around. What do I do first, what I do second? What did I do third? And now it's an easy process. But that's such a from a first timer experience versus it's so different. So that's a really good point. Could I ask you some rapid fire questions?

Jessica Serrano (24:29)

Sure.

Jo Jessica Serrano (24:30)

Cool. What is the bestselling item you've ever worked on?

Jessica Serrano (24:37)

Nacho fries at Taco Bell.

Jo Jessica Serrano (24:40)

I love nacho fries.

Jessica Serrano (24:43)

And that failed like 11 times before.

Jo Jessica Serrano (24:46)

It finally hit what's the most underrated ingredient in fast food?

Jessica Serrano (24:53)

Soda. It's extremely profitable.

Jo Jessica Serrano (24:56)

Yeah. What's a limited time offer you wish stayed on the menu forever?

Jessica Serrano (25:03)

Probably the cauliflower at Dig.

Jo Jessica Serrano (25:06)

What is one fast food or fast casual collab you'd love to see happen?

Jessica Serrano (25:13)

Maybe something with like an Airbnb and Dig.

Jo Jessica Serrano (25:18)

Oh, I like that. Especially with the chef inspired side of it. That'd be cool. What is the most overhyped food trend right now?

Jessica Serrano (25:30)

Influencer collabs.

Jo Jessica Serrano (25:33)

What is your favorite menu item at Digg?

Jessica Serrano (25:36)

Hot Honey Chicken Bowl.

Jo Jessica Serrano (25:39)

What is one piece of advice for aspiring food marketers?

Jessica Serrano (25:46)

Let the customer decide.

Jo Jessica Serrano (25:48)

And the last question I have is ask everybody is what's a marketing hill you would die on?

Jessica Serrano (25:55)

Awareness is more important than frequency.

Jo Jessica Serrano (25:58)

Oh, I love that. Lastly, where could people find what you're doing? You dig all that good stuff.

Jessica Serrano (26:06)

If you want to follow Dig, I'd say our socials is a good place to keep an eye on us. So Dig in is our Instagram handle. If you want to connect with me, I'd say LinkedIn is a good place to keep up with what we're doing from a brand perspective.

Jo Jessica Serrano (26:23)

Well, thank you so much for coming on. I really appreciate it and your time and this was fun to chat.

Jessica Serrano (26:29)

Thank you.

Jo Jessica Serrano (26:30)

Thank you.

Jessica Serrano (26:31)

Thanks for having me.

Daniel Murray (26:34)

Thanks so much for listening. Keep tuning in to hear more great insights from the coolest marketers from around the world. If you haven't already, make sure to subscribe and follow the Marketing Millennials podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcast. And if you like what you hear, I would greatly appreciate you giving us a five star rating. It helps bring more marketers into our community.