Panera Bread focuses new growth strategy on four pillars
Panera Bread is seeking to transform its business by improving performance in several key areas.
The fast-casual dining chain, which introduced a new transformation & strategy office focused on driving growth in June 2025, is launching a strategy called "Panera Rise." The strategy is focused on four strategic pillars: Refreshing the menu, igniting value, serving customers with excellence, and expanding its network.
[READ MORE: Panera Bread creates transformation & strategy office, taps outside leader]
To support Panera Rise, the company says it is making "significant investments" to elevate ingredient quality, variety, and abundance across the menu, while also modernizing its operating model for today’s consumer.
"Over the past year we have made considerable progress in strengthening our foundation to better serve our customers," said Paul Carbone, CEO, Panera Bread. "Panera Rise is a momentum driver, grounded in the areas of differentiation that have made Panera an iconic brand for nearly 40 years. As we transform our business, we are investing in four strategic pillars that put the guest at the very center of everything we do."
Four strategic pillars
- Refreshing the menu: Panera is attempting to elevate its food across dayparts to incorporate “abundant, flavorful and distinctive, high-quality” ingredients with bakery leadership and a strong beverage portfolio.
- Igniting value: The company seeks to deliver carefully crafted, high-quality food at a variety of price points that remains accessible and affordable for its customers.
- Serving customers with excellence: Panera is investing in front-of-house labor in an initiative to deliver an exceptional and personalized experience across all channels and promoting stores as everyday destinations.
- Expanding the network: The retailer intends to drive growth, build new units and modernize its store portfolio to ensure consistent operational excellence across franchise and Panera company stores.
As of Oct. 28, 2025, there were 2,239 stores, company and franchise, in 48 states and Washington D.C., and in Ontario, Canada, operating under the Panera Bread or Saint Louis Bread Co. names. Panera Bread is part of Panera Brands, one of the largest fast-casual restaurant companies in the U.S., comprised of Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels.
