Latest news with #PaulCarbone
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Panera is changing how it makes its bread... and it will make its sandwiches taste very different
Panera Bread is closing all its fresh dough factories in a shift towards frozen bread. The popular chain confirmed this week it will shutter all remaining factories within two years as part of a move toward an 'on-demand' baking model. Instead of mixing and shaping dough in-house, Panera will partner with third-party bakeries that follow its recipes. The bread will be par-baked, frozen, and then finished in stores throughout the day. 'This new model helps us to have greater availability of the breads our guests love, as well as to ensure quality, while allowing us to expand innovation and variety,' Panera Bread told The change means customers will no longer get bread baked fresh that morning, though Panera insists quality won't be compromised. The closures are part of a broader turnaround strategy led by new CEO Paul Carbone, which includes a major menu revamp. Facilities in Lenexa, Kansas, and Greensboro, North Carolina, will be among the first to close — impacting nearly 150 workers. The company has already shut down other dough facilities in California, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, Colorado, and Washington. Roughly 350 employees were laid off last year. With its existing centralized Fresh Dough Facilities, dough is prepped and then sent to 2,200 locations to be baked fresh daily. The new model shifts all early prep to external partners who will then deliver it frozen to stores. Panera says laid-off workers will be offered job fairs, benefits, and reassignment opportunities. The changes come as Panera battles slumping sales, which fell 5 percent last year to $6.1 billion. It also follows the nationwide removal of its controversial Charged Lemonade after the drink was linked to multiple deaths. Despite the shake-up, Panera says great bread will remain 'at the heart of the Panera experience.' The chain was also forced to phase out its controversial Charged Lemonade from stores nationwide after the drinks were linked to several deaths, including Sarah Katz, who had a pre-existing heart condition before her death in 2022. The brand is now part of parent company Panera Brands, which also owns Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels and is owned by Luxembourg-based conglomerate JAB Holding. CEO José Alberto Dueñas stepped down in January, and Paul Carbone, the company's CFO, has been named interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent replacement. Meanwhile, rival Subway quietly shuttered 631 locations last year. It means the chain has fewer than 20,000 locations in the US for the first time in 20 years. It marks the eighth straight year Subway has shuttered restaurants in its home country. It peaked at around 27,000 stores in 2015. Despite the decline, Subway still holds the title of America's largest restaurant chain by location count.
Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Panera Bread just killed its most favourite feature. What's next?
Panera Bread is closing all nine of its remaining fresh dough facilities (FDFS) across the United States under its new CEO, Paul Carbone. The closures, expected to unfold over the next two years, follow years of speculation and a gradual transition away from the brand's original dough production model. Panera baked its bread using dough prepared off-site at regional FDFs. These dough balls were delivered to cafés, where staff proofed and baked fresh loaves each morning. While this gave Panera its signature fresh-baked aroma, the model sometimes led to cafes running out of bread by the afternoon. ALSO READ| Google Messages undergoes massive layout fix: Here's what has changed Now, the company is fully adopting an 'on-demand' model. Instead of preparing dough in-house, Panera will rely on third-party partners to produce bread using its recipes. The bread will arrive par-baked and frozen, allowing staff to finish baking it in cafés throughout the day. Brooke Buchanan, Panera's Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, said, 'We didn't make this decision lightly,' per Restaurant Business. 'We wanted to make sure it was the right model for us moving forward, not only for operations and for consistency, and ensuring our high quality… but also because of our team members.' Shuttering the remaining FDFs will result in hundreds of layoffs though Panera has pledged to 'offer job fairs and bridge benefits.' Panera is already making changes to the menu. New offerings like the Croque Monsieur Croissant Toast. Last year, the brand overhauled core items like soups, salads, sandwiches, and mac and cheese. Despite these efforts, Panera's performance in 2024 took a hit. Sales dropped more than 5% to $6.1 billion, the first decline since the pandemic. Meanwhile, competitors like Jersey Mike's and Charley's Cheesesteaks posted double-digit gains, according to Technomic data. ALSO READ| Chicago O'Hare International Airport rattled by possible deadly measles exposure Still, there's a glimmer of hope. 'We saw encouraging sales improvements in the first quarter,' Buchanan noted, though she didn't share figures. Owned by Luxembourg-based JAB Holding since 2017, Panera has been undergoing significant changes ahead of a possible IPO. But for now, Buchanan said, 'We're in the middle of a turnaround. We are taking a strategic look at where we are today and where we want to be three years from now.'
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lakeville school board votes 4-3 to remove posters promoting inclusion, Black Lives Matter
A collection of posters, including some with the phrase Black Lives Matter, will be removed from buildings in the Lakeville school district following a 4-3 vote from the school board Tuesday night. The 'Inclusive Poster Series', which is at the center of an ongoing federal lawsuit filed against the district, has been displayed inside the schools since 2021. Two of the eight designs included in the series feature the phrase "Black Lives Matter." In the lawsuit, a group of plaintiffs have alleged their First Amendment rights were violated when the district refused to also display "All Lives Matter" and "Blue Lives Matter" posters. Last year, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court's dismissal of the case and reinstated the lawsuit. Whether or not the district should remove the posters has divided the community, with school board members saying they received hundreds of emails ahead of Tuesday's meeting. The meeting also featured extensive public comment, with those in support of keeping the poster series outnumbering those who wanted the posters removed – school board members were interrupted by the crowd on multiple occasions throughout the discussion. Supporters of the poster series said the messages are a valuable tool to promote learning as they combat bullying and help students feel safe, valued and seen. Those critical of the posters claim they are "politically-charged", and contend the district should not promote any political organization or movement. Ultimately, the board adopted a resolution to remove the posters and replace the series with new something new, which has yet to be developed. Board Chair Matt Swanson voted in favor of the posters' removal alongside Paul Carbone, Brett Nicholson and Brian Thompson. Carly Anderson, Kim Baker and Amber Cameron voted against the motion. During his remarks, Swanson said the decision was unrelated to President Donald Trump's recent actions to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion measures nationwide.
