US bakery-cafe chain Panera Bread has extended moves to simplify the recipes for the packaged food lines it sells in retail stores.

In January, the foodservice operator announced plans to remove artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners and preservatives in the chilled soups it sells through retail chains.

Today (15 June), Panera Bread said it will take out the remaining artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners and preservatives in its Panera at Home products. The company expects the portfolio of nearly 50 grocery items to be “clean” – which it said meant free of its so-called “No No List” additives – by the end of the year.

Panera has committed to a clean food menu across its nearly 2,000 U.S. bakery-cafes by the end of this year.

“Much of the work that we’ve done to simplify recipes in our bakery-cafes has set a standard for Panera at Home products. However, the challenges in the consumer packaged goods space are unique, where artificial additives have long been used to preserve taste and appearance,” said Sara Burnett, director of wellness and food policy at Panera Bread said. “For us, the answer was often simple. For instance, we decided early on to use refrigeration to help extend shelf life for products like our soups and salad dressings. Where necessary, we’ve relied on natural preservatives – such as rosemary extract – to do the job.”

The Panera at Home portfolio includes refrigerated soup, mac and cheese, pasta, and salad dressings in addition to frozen bread, sliced sandwich bread and coffee. Panera said its refrigerated soup business commands nearly 35% of the category.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.