The US owner and franchiser of bakery-cafes, Panera Bread Company, has made an agreement with John Wolfgang Nelson and Dwaine Setzer to open 14 outlets in northwest Atlanta and Georgia.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


Nelson and Setzer, who are scheduled to open their first bakery-cafe by the end of 2002, own Blue Ridge Foods, an 18-unit Burger King franchise in east Tennessee. Setzer has been associated with Burger King since 1975. Nelson has 20 years of food industry experience and is the majority owner of ten TGI Friday’s units in North Carolina, South Carolina and Eastern Tennessee.


Todd Smith joins Nelson and Setzer as their operating partner. He has managed full-service casual dining restaurants since 1982 and now serves as president of Nelson’s TGI Friday’s franchise group. Smith is also a member of TGI Friday’s Franchise Advisory Council.


Ron Shaich, Panera Bread chairman and CEO said: “The depth of experience that John, Dwaine and Todd bring will be a significant asset to us as we further develop the Atlanta market. We are pleased to partner with such an established and capable team.”

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact