Panera Bread Company

Panera, otherwise known as Panera Bread, got its start in 1987 in St. Louis, Missouri. Originally called the St. Louis Bread Company, the bakery focused initially on sourdough loaves, growing in popularity and presence until it became the successful franchise we know today. With well over 2,000 locations, the fast-casual restaurant has achieved a level of prosperity that many small start-up restaurants can only dream about. Panera was acquired in 2017 by JAB Holding Co., a private equity firm that purchased the company from founder Ron Shaich. There may be plans for JAB to relaunch Panera as an independent firm through an IPO in the near future.