Panera Bread® Honors Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Pink Ribbon Bagel®

Bagels available in Southern California area bakery-cafes beginning October 1; More than 8 million Pink Ribbon Bagels sold, $1.3 million raised for breast cancer charities since 2001

Los Angeles, Calif. (PRWEB) October 01, 2012

Panera Bread and its franchisees are joining the fight against breast cancer for the 11th year by baking bagels. A staple every October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the signature Pink Ribbon Bagel has raised more than $1.3 million for breast cancer charities nationwide. This October, the Pink Ribbon Bagel will be sold at participating Panera Bread bakery-cafes in the Southern California area. Panera Bread donates a portion of the proceeds from each bagel sold to a variety of breast cancer causes throughout the country, including the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation at select café’s.

In recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, 10 cents from the sale of each Pink Ribbon Bagel will be donated to the recognized foundation to help support breast cancer research. Additionally, on October 5th, the participating bakery-cafes will donate 100% of the proceeds from every Pink Ribbon Bagel purchased for a very special “Go Pink” day.

“The Pink Ribbon Bagel has been a customer favorite for over a decade, in part because it’s a tasty way to add flavor to the day and because each bagel sold helps support the fight against an illness that touches so many,” said Clay Singer, Panera Bread Joint Venture Partner. “Panera Bread is pleased to work with the communities we serve to help raise money for such a worthy cause.”

Shaped in the form of the iconic pink ribbon, the Pink Ribbon Bagel features cherry chips, dried cherries and cranberries, vanilla, honey, and brown sugar, and is baked fresh each morning by Panera’s bakers at each bakery-cafe. Nearly two million Pink Ribbon Bagels were sold in 2011, raising more than $250,000 for charity.

The Pink Ribbon Bagel concept began in 2001 when Sue Stees, co-owner of 18 Panera Bread franchises and a breast cancer survivor, began searching for ways to help other women fighting the same disease. Her search led her to the kitchen where she developed the Pink Ribbon Bagel. To date, more than eight million Pink Ribbon Bagels have been sold.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this simple bagel concept – created in my Tulsa bakery-cafe – would grow to where it is today, educating the community on breast cancer and inspiring those who are fighting this disease,” Stees said. “I’m extremely blessed to have survived to see the Pink Ribbon Bagel make such an impact over more than a decade.”

About Panera Bread

Panera Bread Company owns and franchises 1,591 bakery-cafes as of June 26, 2012, under the Panera Bread®, Saint Louis Bread Co.®, and Paradise Bakery & Café® names. We feature high quality, reasonably priced food in a warm, inviting, and comfortable environment. With our identity rooted in handcrafted, fresh-baked, artisan bread, we are committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust. Nearly 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 menu includes a wide variety of year-round favorites complemented by new items introduced seasonally with the goal of creating new standards in everyday food choices. In neighborhoods across the United States and in Ontario, Canada, our customers enjoy our warm and welcoming environment featuring comfortable gathering areas, relaxing decor, and free Internet access. Our bakery-cafes routinely donate bread and baked goods to community organizations in need. Additional information is available on our website, http://www.panerabread.com.

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