Panera Bread® Reaches $1 Billion in Digital Sales

Digital sales at Panera Bread Company (NASDAQ:PNRA) – those made via mobile, web, or kiosk – have surpassed $1 Billion on an annualized basis and could double in 2019.  Since the inception of its Panera 2.0 program in 2014, the company has emerged as an industry-leading restaurant e-tailer.  Panera’s end-to-end digital pathways, including Rapid Pickup, Fast Lane Kiosks, Catering and Delivery, enable a better guest experience for people to eat the way they want.

As of the end of Q1 2017, system-wide digital sales were 26 percent of total company sales—the highest rate in the restaurant industry outside of the pizza segment.  Approximately 1.2 million digital orders are placed per week, as Panera continues to seamlessly integrate new services with the digital experience.  Panera Delivery, which can only be ordered digitally and is supported by cutting-edge order tracking technology, is the latest way Panera is enhancing the guest experience.

“By building digital into the core aspects of our business, we’ve transformed the customer journey at Panera,” said Ron Shaich, Panera’s Founder, Chairman and CEO.  “For us, it’s not just about new technology for technology’s sake—it’s about making the guest experience better.”

Blaine Hurst, Panera’s president, said, “When you couple digital innovation with operational integrity, the result is a significant level of digital adoption at the guest level. Our holistic approach to technology pushes us to find new ways to make a difference in the lives of guests – which translates to the kinds of sales we’re seeing today.”

The company’s investment in digital has allowed guests a more convenient way to eat how they want, where they want at Panera.  Guests can leverage digital platforms to customize food to meet their taste and dietary needs, while enjoying overall faster service and shorter wait times.

Panera’s digital ordering integrates with MyPanera®, the restaurant industry’s largest loyalty program with more than 25 million members.  Through MyPanera, guests are able to save their favorites, earn and track rewards, and receive personalized special offers.

Panera’s mobile app can be easily downloaded for iOS and Android, and guests can sign up for MyPanera at www.PaneraBread.com.

About Panera Bread Thirty 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 fresh bread 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 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 removing artificial additives (flavors, sweeteners, preservatives and colors from artificial sources) from the food in our 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 – all designed to make things easier for our guests. As of March 28, 2017, there were 2,042 bakery-cafes in 46 states and in Ontario, Canada, operating under the Panera Bread®, Saint Louis Bread Co. ® or Paradise Bakery & Cafe® names. For more information, visit panerabread.com or find us on Twitter (@panerabread), Facebook (facebook.com/panerabread) or Instagram (@panerabread).

Matters discussed in this news release and in our public disclosures, whether written or oral, relating to future events, including any discussion, express or implied, regarding digital sales and statements made therein, contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements are often identified by the words "believe," “could,” "positioned," "estimate," "project," "target," "plan," "goal," "assumption," "continue," "intend," "expect," "future," "anticipate," and other similar expressions, whether in the negative or the affirmative, that are not statements of historical fact. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our actual results and timing of certain events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including, but not limited to, those discussed from time to time in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10- K for the fiscal year ended December 27, 2016, and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements and the internal projections and beliefs upon which we base our expectations included in this release are made only as of the date of this release and may change. While we may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we expressly disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Media Contact:
Jonathan Yohannan
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