Panera Bread Co., 2001 Odd Shares Specimen Class A Stock Certificate

Panera Bread Company is an American chain store of bakery-café fast casual restaurants with over 2,000 locations, all of which are in the United States and Canada. Its headquarters are in Sunset Hills, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.  Ron Shaich as chairman.

Panera Bread originated as the St. Louis Bread Company, founded in Kirkwood, Missouri in 1987. Acquired by Au Bon Pain in 1993,

it was rebranded as Panera (from the Latin for "breadbasket") in 1997 to facilitate national expansion. Today, it operates a massive fast-casual empire and is owned by JAB Holding.The Pioneer of Fast-Casual:

CEO Ron Shaich transformed the humble bakery into a cozy cafe, offering premium soups, salads, and sourdough breads.Tech & Comfort: Panera was one of the first major chains to offer free Wi-Fi in 2004. They later pioneered digital ordering, self-serve kiosks, and a robust loyalty program.Commitment to "Clean" Food: In 2010, Panera became the first national restaurant chain to post calorie counts on menu boards.

By 2017, the brand eliminated all artificial preservatives, sweeteners, and flavors from its bakery-cafe food.Acquisitions & Modern Structure: In 2017, JAB Holding Company purchased Panera Bread for $7.5 billion. It is currently operated under the umbrella of Panera Brands, which also includes Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels.