Forget the ribbon, café cuts the bread

[attach]6622[/attach]Instead of a ribbon cutting ceremony, Panera Bread marked the opening of their newest bakery-café at the Shops at Don Mills with an official bread cutting ceremony.

“We opened on December 12 at 6 a.m.,” says Panera Bread’s local marketing coordinator Amanda Ciarmela. “We were warmly received by the Don Mills community. Our plan is to use that café as a means to really get involved in the community.”
Panera Bread, which has bakery-cafes across the United States and Ontario under the names Panera Bread, Saint Louis Bread Co. and Paradise Bakery & Café, features handcrafted artisan breads along with soups, salads and sandwiches and also offers catering.

“Our bakery-cafes have a menu highlighted by antibiotic free chicken, whole grain bread, and select organic and all natural ingredients,” she says. “Every Panera sandwich is built on our fresh-baked bread, using only high quality meats, cheeses and vegetables.”

While the menu includes year round staples, it also reflects a variety of seasonal changes. Ciarmela says the most popular items include the bacon turkey bravo, which consists of smoked turkey breast, bacon, smoked Gouda, lettuce and tomatoes on a tomato basil bread with their signature dressing, as well as their cinnamon crunch bagel and broccoli cheddar soup.

“Then of course we have our pick two combination meals, which showcase Panera Bread’s options by offering the choice of a half sandwich, half salad or soup,” says Ciarmela, whose personal favourite is the big kid grilled cheese. “So you pick two of the three and this actually allows people to try more of our menu all at once so it works out quite nicely.”

As part of their Day End Donation Program, the company donates all their unsold bread and baked goods to local hunger relief agencies and charities. They are currently accepting online applications for those in need from the Don Mills location.

“Collectively Panera bakery-cafes donated a retail value of approximately 100 million dollars worth of unsold bread and baked goods in 2011 to help neighbourhoods in need,” she says.

“We aim to help local communities by donating the foods to either women’s shelters or community food banks, something that really gives back to those affected by food insecurity in the community.”