Breadtalk Swot Analysis

For this discussion, I have chosen a company that’s a lunchtime favorite in my office—Panera Bread Company, a steadily-growing national restaurant chain headquartered in Sunset Hills, Missouri. Ron Shaich, the creator of Panera Bread, joined with partner Louis Kane, the founder of the bakery-café chain Au Bon Pain Co., Inc. (ABP). In addition to ABP, Mr. Shaich started a “fast casual” sandwich shop that he eventually named Panera Bread, and once ABP was sold in 1999, Mr. Shaich focused on growing the Panera Bread brand. Within the next 15 years, Panera Bread practiced a slow but steady growth pattern and there are now more in 2,300 Paneras in the United States (Panera Bread Company, 2017).

This Harvard Business case is about two individuals, Ludmilla and Igor, who are the creators of Iggy’s Bread of the World and their determination to their unique mission statement of not only making the highest quality breads with the highest standards of service and integrity but cultivating a caring environment with plenty of communication in order to have a successful growing company. This is evident in their mission statement which states: “We are committed to providing a nurturing and respectful environment at our workplace that fosters cooperation, communication and sense of accomplishment for all employees. We provide tools for growth through education, health benefits and access to alternative medical treatments. We

As mentioned in the case study, Panera Bread Company is known to be one of the leading bakery/café that offers freshly baked pastries and French inspired entrées across various states in the US. However in the recent years, Panera Bread faced a decrease in their usual high growth rate from 9.1% and 12.0% in the year 2000 to merely 0.2% and 0.5% of comparable sales and annualized unit volumes respectively.

This report examines the UK market for Breakfast Cereals. The market has grown substantially in the last 5 years with a high demand for quick meals in the morning due to busy lifestyles. This has had an advantage to the sales of the market.

"Idea Quintessence starts with craftsman bread, quality items, and a warm, amicable, agreeable condition. It requires each of our bread shop bistros to be a place clients can trust to serve great nourishment. Bread is our obsession, soul, and aptitude, and fills in as the stage that makes the majority of our other nourishment extraordinary" (Panera Bread Organization). Some portion of Panera 's "Idea Pith" is the production of a feel in their pastry kitchen bistros, and proceeding of a culture

in Chapter 3 most closely fit the competitive approach that Panera Bread is taking? What

The driving concept behind Panera Bread is to provide a premium specialty bakery and café experience to urban workers and suburban dwellers. Panera can compete at a high level in the quick food industry because of what they offer customers better than their

Bread for the City is more like a network organization. The networked organization is one that connects together by informal networks and the demands of the task, rather than a formal organizational structure. The network organization prioritizes its “soft structure” of relationships, networks, teams, groups and communities rather than reporting lines. It is more a statement of intent to get things done flexibly rather than to rely on structure. “George A. Jones has been Chief Executive Officer of Bread for the City (BFC) since January 2, 1996. This non-profit organization tends to reach out and network with other organizations to gain funding and to run the operations of the organization and to achieve its goals. Its senior staff consists

“A loaf of bread in every arm” is the mission statement of Panera Bread Company (Vincelette & Fogarty, 2010, p.1). Panera started as a small bakery under the name Au Bon Pain and grew to one of the largest fast food service companies in the U.S. In 2008 they had the 5th overall rating in the restaurant industry. “Panera Bread is widely recognized for driving the nationwide trend for specialty breads” (Panera Bread, 2011).

Being a nationally recognized brand and a dominant in restaurant operations in the specialty bakery café segment and to expand broadly in the regional market is Panera’s strategy. And by giving high quality product Panera is following their strategy.

Among the crowded field of casual, quick-service restaurants in America, the distinctive blend of genuine artisan bread and a warm, comfortable atmosphere has given Panera Bread Company a golden opportunity to capture market share and reward shareholders through well-planned growth. With the objective of opening approximately 1,000 more bakery-cafes in the next three years, Panera Bread Company must make prudent strategy decisions about new store locations, supply-chain management and expanded offerings, all the while continuing its above-average earnings per share growth of at least 25 percent per year.

Panera Bread is considered to be one of the U.S. most successful fast-casual restaurants. The company is one of the revolution makers in the industry of fast food, which managed to transform the traditional image and perception of to-go products that are available at an acceptable price on the market. As its initial founding company was established in 1981, Panera Bread managed to gain up to 4.5 billion USD in sales by the year of 2015, whereas the average sales per one store made up to 2.5 million USD annually (Thompson). Nevertheless, the company that once managed to upgrade bread and pastry into a trend of fast and healthy eating, today is struggling with massive competition on the fast food market. Its previous strategic strengths now became a burden that stops innovation and creativity and does not

The strategic issue that Panera faces is how to make great bread broadly available to consumers across the United States.

Panera Bread has much strength within their business. In the beginning, Panera Bread recognized another company, Saint Louis Bread Company, to aid in strengthening their market standing and competitiveness by purchasing the company. Panera Bread further strengthened their company by redesigning the newly acquired company to have a more appealing dining experience, better quality, customer service, and wider product selection. After redesign was complete, the newly named Panera Bread recognized the new company design has a cash hog and made the wise decision to sell off

“Customization of bread types, flavor, toppings and ingredients coupled with fresh, steamed, toasted preparations provide combinations that appeal to almost all consumers” (Tristano in Levin, 2008). Based on the factors and demographic data exposed above the following market needs were identified: