PANERA BREAD® COMING SOON TO DOWNTOWN HIGHLAND PARK

CHICAGO, IL – February 4, 2014 – Panera Bread has plans to open a new 3,200 sq. ft. bakery-café on the south end of Second Street in downtown Highland Park this summer. 

With its identity rooted in handcrafted, freshly baked, artisan bread, Panera Bread is committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust.  Highlighted by antibiotic-free chicken, whole grain bread, select organic and all-natural ingredients and a menu with zero grams added trans fat, Panera’s bakery-cafe selection offers flavorful, wholesome offerings.  The menu includes a variety of year-round favorites to complement seasonal items and breads baked fresh daily in each bakery-cafe by skilled bakers. 

The new location in Highland Park offers a warm and welcoming environment including intimate seating areas, comfortable chairs, a community table and free Wi-Fi Internet access. 

“We look forward to opening a new bakery-cafe in such a vital community, said Mike Hamra, President & CEO of Hamra Enterprises. Many of the Highland Park residents already frequent our stores in surrounding communities and having the opportunity to develop a store in Highland Park will allow us to bring our concept closer to many of our core customers.”

An Active Community Partner

Since Panera Bread was founded, the company and its franchisees have been active participants in the communities in which it does business. This new location will join Chicagoland in giving back through its local Day-End Dough-Nation™ and Community Breadbox™ programs.

As part of the local Community Breadbox program, all donations made by customers in the new Highland Park bakery-cafe will benefit Make-A-Wish® Illinois, a charity that helps grant the wishes of children with life threatening medical conditions. For the past four years over 30 local bakery-cafes joined the community in contributing over $200,000 to Make-A-Wish® Illinois to grant 48 wishes. 

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 over $100 million worth of unsold bread and baked goods in 2012 to help people in need.

About Panera Bread

Chicago Bread, LLC, is a Panera Bread franchisee; family owned and operated by Hamra Enterprises, operators of 33 Panera Bread bakery-cafés in the Greater Chicago area.  Chicago Bread is committed to Panera Bread's focus on providing customers and employees with high quality sweet and savory products and engaging each of its café neighborhoods through community service, fundraising, and other philanthropic activities. With our identity rooted in handcrafted, fresh-baked, artisan bread, we are committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust. All of our bakery-cafes have a menu highlighted by antibiotic free chicken, whole grain bread and select organic and all natural ingredients, with zero grams of artificial trans fat per serving, which provide flavorful, wholesome offerings. Our bakery-cafes routinely donate bread and baked goods to community organizations in need. Additional information is available on the Chicago Bread website, http://www.panera-chicago.com