Panera Bread eliminates trans fat from menu
Panera Bread bakery-cafes will roll out the reformulated products by the end of February 2006.
24/02/06 Panera Bread, recognized for its leadership in making artisan bread available on a national scale, has announced it has voluntarily removed trans fat from its menu. Panera Bread bakery-cafes will roll out the reformulated products by the end of February 2006. All Panera Bread menu items will be free of trans fat, with the exception of small amounts that occur naturally in dairy products, meat products and some condiments.
"Panera recognized that trans fat was a growing concern to our customers and the medical community, therefore we made it a priority to eliminate it from our menu," said Tom Gumpel, Director of Bakery Development for Panera Bread. "The most important aspect of this year-long process was upholding our high standards for flavor. The majority of Panera's work was focused on our bakery goods, which had the most trans fat. We are proud to say that the reformulated products achieve the same level of quality and great taste that our customers expect from us."
Recognizing the health risks associated with trans fat, Panera Bread partnered with Saint Louis University's Department of Nutrition and Dietetics in early 2005 to analyze the nutritional content of Panera menu items and identify where trans fat existed. Panera Bread worked with suppliers to reformulate those menu offerings to use trans-free alternatives including butter, palm oil and vegetable-based oils that maintain the flavor and texture of Panera's high-quality offerings.
Panera Bread is committed to providing its customers with high-quality, healthful offerings. In 2005, the company became the largest provider of all natural, antibiotic-free white meat chicken in its sandwiches and salads, as well as introduced a line of whole grain breads and bagels. Panera Bread is constantly reviewing its menu and will continue to refine its offerings to better serve the needs of its customers. Nutritional information for all Panera Bread menu items is available to customers in its bakery-cafes and on its website at http://www.panerabread.com.
Trans fat is solid fat produced artificially by heating liquid vegetable oil through the process of partial hydrogenation. The process ultimately increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods but also creates a harmful fat formation called trans fat. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), trans fat is known to raise total blood cholesterol levels and LDL ("bad") cholesterol and lower HDL ("good") cholesterol levels.
Panera Bread owns and franchises bakery-cafes under the Panera Bread and Saint Louis Bread Co. names. The company is the leader in the emerging specialty bread/cafe category due to its unique bread combined with a quick, casual dining experience. As released in the February 9, 2006 earnings statement, Panera Bread operates 877 bakery-cafes (311 company-owned and 566 franchised).
