KANSAS CITY - Panera Bread, as it's known across the country, continues transitioning away from fresh dough to a partially pre-baked frozen dough system.
The locally-based company says it leads to better consistency among stores.
The "St. Louis Regional Fresh Dough Facility" on Hanley Road in Brentwood is going to close permanently on September 12th. 72 St. Louis County workers, from mixers to panners, mechanics to truck drivers, will lose their jobs.
That's according to a WARN lay-off notice filed with the state of Missouri.
Panera once had 24 of these fresh dough facilities across the country.
In April, the company said it expected to complete the closing of all of these facilities within 18 to 24 months. The par-baked dough that's part of the new system is prepared by outside contractors following Panera's recipes and instructions and then shipped to stores for the final baking.
KMOX talked with customers near a Bread Co. in the area for reaction:
"They got the best bread no matter what."
"Yeah, I'll definitely give it a shot."
"I wonder if it includes the bread bowls or not, because most of the bread I eat here is bread bowls."
"Yeah, I get bagels and salads and sandwiches. I find them pretty consistent here. The food is consistent, so that hasn't been a problem."
KMOX reached out to both Fenton-based Panera and the city of Brentwood.
Brentwood says:
We consider the employees who work in Brentwood to be part of our broader community, and we’re always saddened to hear about job losses affecting individuals and families in our area. Our thoughts are with those impacted by this decision.
Panera Brands says:
Great bread is at the heart of the Panera experience and will always be the foundation of who we are. Last year, we began a nationwide transition to a new baking model that helps us to have greater availability of the breads our guests love, ensuring quality while allowing us to expand innovation and variety. In this model, we partner with expert artisan bakery producers who follow Panera's time-honored recipes and use our high-quality ingredients to craft bread that is finished baking in our cafes throughout the day.
We deeply value our team members, and this is especially true in our hometown of St. Louis. We are committed to supporting them through this transition with resources, career opportunities and guidance.
The chain was founded in 1987 as St. Louis Bread Company in suburban Kirkwood. It merged with Au Bon Pain in 1993 to become a national player and then was acquired by privately-held JAB Holdings in 2021. Panera Brands filed for an initial public offering in 2023.
The chain says it has 2,197 stores. Almost all of those operate under the Panera Bread brand, except in St. Louis City and County, where it continues to trade as St. Louis Bread Company.
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