DIG-IN maps the hidden data of European dining and nightlife

The global food services industry has long operated on fragmented and limited data, making strategic customer acquisition remarkably difficult for food and beverage brands. Commercial directors and trade marketing teams frequently struggle to evaluate venue performance, monitor execution standards, or track brand presence across diverse geographic markets. DIG-IN was established in Lisbon to eliminate these persistent information gaps by consolidating live venue data across European dining and drinking establishments. Spun out from Zomato Portugal in 2021, the platform transforms scattered hospitality signals into clean, actionable market intelligence that drives smarter commercial growth strategies.

Co-founders Nuno Fernandes and Steven Murray recognised that traditional market research methods failed to keep pace with rapid shifts in the modern restaurant sector. Field representatives could physically inspect only a tiny fraction of target venues, leaving massive blind spots in regional competitive analysis and brand penetration tracking. Drawing on his extensive operational background as General Manager and Head of Growth at Zomato Portugal, Fernandes set out to create a technology platform capable of processing millions of data points inaccessible to standard survey tools. Together, the founders engineered automated systems to give food service companies hyper-local visibility into venue health across major European cities.

At the core of the platform is a proprietary algorithm that ranks each venue's digital footprint, visibility, and operational health scores. The system calculates a Digital Experience Score across six distinct dimensions, including visual atmosphere, online discovery, website structure, and social media engagement. A recent DIG-IN report evaluating fifty-three Michelin-starred restaurants in Portugal demonstrated the system in action, revealing that only fifteen percent achieved excellence tier status. The detailed analysis identified social media as the lowest-performing area across these premier dining establishments, while highlighting top digital performers such as Belcanto Lisboa and Antiqvvm Porto.

Alongside digital footprint scoring, DIG-IN provides a specialized On-Trade Dashboard designed to verify real-world execution for consumer packaged goods and beverage brands. The platform continuously tracks critical venue-level execution metrics such as glass bottle presence, cold beverage availability, outdoor brand signage, and socialization space engagement across thousands of connected venues. AI-enhanced data validation regularly updates these data points, allowing commercial managers to monitor market share shifts and conduct category battleground mapping without relying on slow manual venue audits. This continuous monitoring replaces costly periodic reviews with verified, real-time channel intelligence across major metropolitan areas.

As the European hospitality landscape becomes increasingly competitive, DIG-IN is scaling its pan-European market coverage and expanding its analytical suite for global enterprise clients. The Lisbon-headquartered business will present its latest industry forecasts and intelligence capabilities to tech leaders and international delegates at Web Summit 2026. By bringing digital precision to trade execution and venue acquisition strategies, the platform provides consumer brands with the operational clarity needed to make confident commercial investments. The founding team remains focused on building the definitive data foundation for the future of the global food services industry.

Find out more at dig-in.io