Spotlight on Daddy Greens

Editorial Team

2 min read
Daddy Greens owner

The journey back from the economic effects of COVID-19 has been a long road for many small businesses. that’s why we created the Back2Business initiative, which provides technical assistance, financial support, and other resources to help get our minority-owned small business owners back on their feet. In August, we presented three Back2Business grants to three recipients—one of them was Daddy Greens, co-owned by Kola Ologundudu and Rodney Davis.

Daddy Greens keeps the green in Brooklyn

When Frank visited Daddy Greens pizzeria, he and Kola spent time talking about the importance of pizza to economic recovery. “Every time I talk about small businesses,” says Kola, “I talk about pizzerias in Brooklyn where we make great pizza for the benefit of others.” Restaurants like Daddy Greens are the reason why Back2Business is so important: investments in small businesses have immediate multiplier effects in local communities.

Kola has four employees and sources much of his staff from the local community. “All of my employees work and live in New York City. I’m not outsourcing anything. When a customer spends a dollar at Daddy Greens, it’s circulated around the economy in New York City.”

Because Daddy Greens offers takeout, the restaurant was able to stay open during the shutdown. Unfortunately, Kola was unable to secure the masks, gloves, and sanitation equipment needed to serve customers inside. Now that the pizzeria is back up and running, it’s more important than ever to Kola that Daddy Greens gets back to helping the community thrive.

Spreading the wealth to the neighborhood

Kola says the Back2Business grant is going to have an immediate impact for Daddy Greens and a ripple effect for other business throughout the city. “I can now add a new refrigerator. That’s going to turn into sales for me, which helps the equipment and food supplier. So, when you give me a grant, you’re not just giving me a grant—it’s going to get distributed to others in my neighborhood.”

Learn more about Back2Business

Read our introductory post Getting Back2Business for a broader look at the initiative, why we’re doing it, and how to get involved.

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