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Partnership with the bakery chain adds yet another international brand to the Group’s portfolio
Milan - Autogrill S.p.A. (Milano: AGL IM) announces that its US subsidiary HMSHost and Panera Bread have entered into an exclusive multi-year agreement to develop the chain in airports and motorways in the United States.
The agreement provides for a series of new openings, the first of which in Concourse E at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (North Carolina) next autumn, to be followed by additional locations that are slated to open throughout 2020, including one in Concourse A at Salt Lake City International Airport (Utah).
Panera Bread is a well-known North American fresh bakery-café chain based in St. Louis, Missouri, with over 2,300 stores in the United States and Canada. The company started in 1980 as a small cookie store founded by Ron Shaich in Boston and later expanded its business by partnering with a small French bakery chain called ‘Au Bon Pain’. It took on its current name, Panera Bread, in the mid ‘90s.
Thanks to this exclusive agreement with Panera, the Group is strengthening its brand portfolio in the fresh bakery-café segment in airports and on motorways throughout the United States.
In Panera’s restaurants, customers can enjoy the brand’s classic menu: salads and sandwiches prepared on demand, delicious soups and the Bread Bowls that are already very popular with this American brand’s customers. Panera’s offering also has a generous choice of bakery products for breakfast, including the famous wraps.
It’s the perfect concept for travellers looking for a customised eating experience; and, with the ‘You Pick Two’ option, they can even create their favourite dish by ordering half portions of two different items on the menu. Panera’s selection also includes low-calorie, vegan and vegetarian options that can be eaten there or taken away (grab&go).
Panera is an innovative brand at the forefront of digital technology. One example is its ordering platform, which uses a mobile app directly connected with the kitchens and advanced remote ordering technology that facilitates the customer’s experience and makes Panera the perfect solution for even the smartest travellers.