ST. LOUIS, May 2, 2022 – Today, Panera announces the appointment of Marlene M. Gordon as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Secretary effective May 2. 

With over 20 years of industry experience, Gordon joins Panera from Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., where she most recently served as Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and Secretary. During her tenure at Fresh Del Monte Produce, Inc., the global food company, Marlene was a member of the company’s Global Leadership Team, where she led legal, corporate communications and people strategies to best support the company’s short and long-term business objectives. Gordon was also instrumental in the redesign and deployment of the company’s new vision, values, five-year strategic objectives, global operational priorities and go to market plan. 

Gordon’s career spans multiple industries and includes high-level roles at Bacardi, Burger King Corporation, Republic Industries Inc. and Blockbuster Entertainment Group. She holds a B.A. in Economics with honors from the University of Chicago, a JD from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and is also a Harvard Business School Certified Organizational Leader. 

“We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to Marlene as she joins the executive team as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Secretary for both Panera Brands and Panera Bread,” said Niren Chaudhary, Chief Executive Officer, Panera Brands and Panera Bread. “Having a leader of Marlene’s caliber on board will support us during this exciting time for our portfolio of brands and expand our best-in-class executive team.” 

“I’m excited to join Panera Brands at a such a transformational time. There are countless opportunities where I can dive in and add value, between Panera's growth strategy for its complementary and iconic brands, the company's focus on innovation and its people-first culture,” Gordon said. “I am thrilled to start working alongside Niren, the leadership team, and all of our associates in achieving the company's business objectives and taking the company to the next level.” 

Gordon’s hire is the latest addition to Panera’s leadership team, which has expanded to bring on industry veterans from world-class companies including Kraft, Yum! Brands, sweetgreen, Unilever, Pepsi, CVS, Accenture and Coca-Cola. For more information, visit www.PaneraBread.com.

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About Panera Bread

30 years ago, at a time when quick service meant low quality, Panera set out to challenge this expectation. We believed that food that was good and that you could feel good about, served in a warm and welcoming environment by people who cared, could bring out the best in all of us. To us, that is food as it should be
and that is why we exist. 

So, we began with a simple commitment: to bake bread fresh every day in our bakery-cafes. No short cuts, just bakers with simple ingredients and hot ovens. Each night, any unsold bread and baked goods were shared with neighbors in need. 

These traditions carry on today, as we have continued to find ways to be an ally for wellness to our guests. That means crafting a menu of soups, salads and sandwiches that we are proud to feed our families. Like poultry and pork raised without antibiotics on our salads and sandwiches. A commitment to transparency and options that empower our guests to eat the way they want. Seasonal flavors and whole grains. And a commitment to food that does not contain the artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavors, and colors from artificial sources set forth on our No-No list in the food in our U.S. bakery-cafes. Why? Because we think that simpler is better and we believe in serving food as it should be. Because when you don’t have to compromise to eat well, all that is left is the joy of eating. 

We’re also focused on improving quality and convenience. With investments in technology and operations, we now offer new ways to enjoy your Panera favorites – like mobile ordering and Rapid Pick-Up® for to-go orders and delivery – all designed to make things easier for our guests. 

As of March 29, 2022, there were 2,117 bakery-cafes in 48 states 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. For more information, visit panerabread.com or find us on Twitter (@panerabread), Facebook (facebook.com/panerabread) or Instagram (@panerabread). 

Media Contacts

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