News

Panera Bread expands in Toronto market

January 5, 2012

Panera Bread will open its newest bakery-cafe in downtown Toronto on Jan. 24.

The new restaurant kicks off a year of growth and expansion in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) with five new locations planned for 2012. These will join the three existing Panera cafes at Square One in Mississauga, Richmond Hill and Thornhill.

"Our first bakery-cafes in Canada, in Mississauga, Richmond Hill and Thornhill, have been incredibly well-received in those communities and we anticipate that this exciting location in the heart of the city will really show Toronto what the Panera brand is all about," said Barry Shannon, Panera Bread. "As we continue to grow in the GTA and across Canada, we are committed to creating jobs (40-50 per café) and contributing to the neighbourhoods in which we serve."

As part of Panera's broader national Operation Dough-Nation program, which was created in 1992 to formalize Panera's commitment to community involvement, the new downtown location will give back through its local Day-End Dough-Nation and Community Breadbox programs.

As part of the local Community Breadbox program, all cash donations made by customers in all company-owned bakery-cafes in the GTA are matched by Panera Bread and distributed to Make-A-Wish.

At the end of each day, Panera Bread also donates all unsold bread and baked goods to local area hunger relief agencies as part of its local Day-End Dough-Nation program. Collectively, Panera bakery-cafes donated approximately $100 million worth of unsold bread and baked goods in 2010 to help neighbors in need.

Panera Bread Company owns and franchises 1,493 bakery-cafes as of June 28, 2011, under the Panera Bread, Saint Louis Bread Co., and Paradise Bakery & Café names.

Read more about franchising and growth.