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SWOT ANALYSIS: Panera Bread Company
Introduction to Business
Section A
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Kellie Goodell

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The Panera Bread Company started when Louis Kane and Ron Shaich founded a bakery­café enterprise that they named Au Bon Pain Company Inc. This corporation was popular throughout malls, airports and the east coast of the United States. It was so prosperous the Au Bon Pain Company purchased a chain of 20 bakeries located in St.
Louis, Missouri called the Saint Louis Bread Company. With a lot of time to study the market based needs for fast food and quick service meals, Ron Shaich and a team of Au
Bon Pain managers decided in 1997 to rename and remake the Saint Louis Bread
Company to Panera Bread Company. The objective for Panera Bread at that time was to create a specialty café that was driven by upscale quick service, with a warm setting, and an authentic fresh­dough artisan bakery. Shaich believed that Panera Bread had enough market appeal to be expanded nationwide and with careful management attention and ideal financial resources. Panera Bread has become a very popular and sought after company for consumers. Although, just like any company, this business has many ways it can benefit from some improvements.
The Panera Bread Company is an extremely popular business that really benefits from its strengths. This company has created a strong brand image for its consumers.
People look at this restaurant as a high quality and “never fail” café that provides them with fresh food and a comfy atmosphere. The Uniqueness, freshness, and crave able food is also an important factor for why Panera Bread sets itself apart from its competitors.
Panera Bread specializes in freshly baked goods, made­to order sandwiches, soups,

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Breads signature products are made natural with no chemicals or preservatives, and the employed chefs are trained and taught to make this food a very specific way. This business also has a strong management staff that is crucial for a company to make sure everything runs smoothly and efficiently for the consumer it is providing business for.
Employees for this company have a 10­week training program this includes all/ any kind of employees. Panera Bread has many loyal customers that help boost the company’s revenue and profit. Other small factors that benefit the Panera Bread Company are the ambiance of the restaurant and the warmth is sets for the customer and the fact that
Panera Bread provides customers with Wi­Fi. Customers also have the option of ordering and paying online for their order.
Just like any company, Panera Bread does have a few weaknesses that are of concern and could be holding the company back. Panera Bread had the idea of providing the customer with high quality food along with quick service in comparison to a fast food restaurant like McDonalds. Unfortunately Panera Bread cannot compete with the fast food restaurant prices on food. Panera Bread has deals such as the You Pick 2 deal but it is still cheaper to buy a hamburger with fries and a drink than it is to buy a single sandwich at Panera Bread. It also does not provide a fast pick up option, such as a drive thru. For customers it is an inconvenience to have to find a place to park, stand in line to order and then stand in line waiting for there order. Panera Bread has less revenue coming in compared to its competitors because majority of the fast food restaurants have expanded globally and Panera Bread has yet to do so.

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Panera Bread, along with its strengths and weaknesses, has provided many futuristic opportunities for the company. Managers of Panera Bread have put effort in trying/testing new products for the food and drink market. The Panera Bread menus are constantly being reviews and revised to sustain the interest of customers as well as giving the company opportunity to bring in more new customers.