The History of Panera Bread

Ron Shaich founded a Boston cookie shop called the Cookie Jar in 1981. The next year, he merged the shop with a struggling French bakery called Au Bon Pain. He and his partner Louis Kane realized that there was a lot of potential in the merger and in 1985, they began selling soups and sandwiches alongside freshly baked baguettes at the shops. In the 1990s, Au Bon Pain became a fixture in East Coast cities and various overseas locations. In 1993, Shaich acquired the Saint Louis Bread Company and realized there was a growing group of consumers who wanted less processed food served in a comfortable setting. To create what would come to be known as “fast casual” dining, all of the Au Bon Pain locations were sold off and the remaining company was renamed Panera LLC. In the early 2000s, Panera Bread locations focused on providing a pleasant customer experience through design, free Wi-Fi, and other creature comforts that encouraged guests to gather and linger. The restaurants also focused on using clean, carefully selected ingredients, something they are still known for today. The company also focused on giving back through charitable programs such as Day-End Dough-Nation, which ensures that unsold baked goods are given to non-profits each evening rather than being thrown out. Panera Bread grew slowly but steadily and today, it is one of the most popular fast-casual dining options in the United States with many locations and loyal fans.