ST. LOUIS, June 12, 2023 – Today, Panera announces the addition of a new chef-curated recipe to its popular line of Toasted Baguette sandwiches: the Black Forest Ham & Gouda Melt. Panera’s line of Toasted Baguettes, launched this January, has quickly become its top earning sandwich and so Panera’s chefs have unveiled a new creation featuring Black Forest Ham, Panera’s new country mustard, arugula and smoked gouda on a toasted baguette. MyPanera members nationwide will have the opportunity to be the first to try the new Black Forest Ham & Gouda Melt, through exclusive early access to the item for a limited time from June 12-21.  The new sandwich will be available nationwide starting on June 22.

The new Black Forest Ham & Gouda Melt joins three other delicious and hand-crafted Toasted Baguette flavor offerings—Green Goddess Caprese Melt, Pepperoni Mozzarella Melt and Smoky Buffalo Chicken Melt. The abundant sandwiches start at $9.49 each (plus tax) and are prepared with Clean ingredients in bold and fresh recipes. Also coming to the menu is a new Deli Ham sandwich, crafted with Black Forest Ham, emerald greens, vine-ripened tomatoes, red onions, Panera’s new country mustard, salt and pepper on Country Rustic Sourdough, starting at $8.99 (plus tax)

“We're so excited to bring ham back onto the Panera menu, and our focus was on enhancing these sandwiches with amazing, unforgettable flavor that we knew our guests would love,” said Claes Petersson, Head Chef, Panera Bread. “Our chefs created our new delicious country mustard, finding the perfect blend of three mustards to compliment the flavors and create two irresistible new menu items we can’t wait for guests to try.”

These new sandwiches expand the suite of options for Panera’s Value Duets and Family Feasts – value upgrades include:

• Expansion of Panera Value Duets offerings to include
  Deli Ham Sandwich & Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup.
• Expansion of Panera Family Feasts with Baguette
  Sandwich Bundles:
  •  _{3 Toasted Baguette Family Feast– includes 3 Toasted Baguettes, a Quart of Soup and choice of Greek or Caesar Salad}
  • _{4 Toasted Baguette Family Feast – includes 4 Toasted Baguettes, a Quart of Soup and choice of Greek or Caesar Salad} 

Early access for MyPanera members to try the Black Forest Ham & Gouda Melt begins on June 12 through June 21, 2023. Early access is available on digital orders only as an exclusive perk for MyPanera members. By simply logging in with a MyPanera account, members can easily order the Black Forest Ham & Gouda Melt before it’s available to all guests nationwide.

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About Panera Bread

Panera Brands is one of the world’s largest fast casual restaurant platforms, with 3,852 locations and 120,000 employees, including franchisees, across 11 countries. A portfolio of complementary brands bound by common values and shared growth opportunities, Panera Brands is comprised of Panera Bread®, Caribou Coffee® and Einstein Bros. Brands. Panera Brands companies are independently operated and underpinned by industry-leading technology, loyalty, craveability, and high-quality ingredients. Panera Brands companies are united in their mission to be force multipliers for good for their guests, communities, the planet, and the shareholders they serve. Panera Bread is a pioneer and market leader in fast casual, with leadership in the quality of its clean, transparent, sustainable ingredients, and in omnichannel access, digital convenience (53% of sales are e-commerce) and engagement (53 MM MyPanera loyalty members as of May 2023).

As of April 25,2023, there were 2,121 Panera Bread bakery-cafes in 49 states (including the District of Columbia) in the United States and in Ontario, Canada, operating under the Panera Bread® or Saint Louis Bread Co.® names.  Caribou Coffee provides high-quality handcrafted beverages and food options, with 738 stores in 10 countries. Einstein Bros. Brands, consisting of Einstein Bros. Bagels®, Bruegger’s Bagels®, Noah’s New York Bagels® and Manhattan Bagel® is a market leader in bagels and bagel sandwiches operating 984 company-owned and licensed units across the US.

Media Contacts

Panera Brands Jess Hesselschwerdt

Jessica.Hesselschwerdt@panerabread.com

H/Advisors Abernathy

amg-panera@h-advisors.global