St. Louis / MO. (pbc) Panera Bread Company, part of Luxembourg’s JAB Holding, wants people to think about food, what’s in it and where it comes from, so they can make informed decisions about what and how they eat. Bread is in Panera’s DNA, and now the company announces it is the first national restaurant company to disclose the whole grain content of breads on its menu. On all breads over 50% whole grain, Panera now labels servings of whole grain per slice, roll or bagel, as well as the whole grain percentage, so guests know exactly what they are eating.
The new labelling commitment coincides with the launch of «Food Interrupted,» Panera’s first-ever digital platform aimed at providing increased transparency. Each episode follows leaders in the food world as they meet everyday heroes who have dedicated their lives to changing America’s food system. The platform launches with «Grains Interrupted,» in which chef Marcus Samuelsson and Weiser Family Farms’ Jon Hammond discuss the importance of ancient grains and their role in the future of food. «Food Interrupted» is now streaming on Facebook Watch; to learn more about the series, visit Food-Interrupted.com.
Latest Transparency Commitment Challenges Restaurants Using Confusing Whole Grain Names
Although the USDA recommends whole grains make up at least half of all grains eaten in a day, more than half of the country’s top restaurant chains do not offer a single whole grain option on their menu. Those that do may use vague terms like «multigrain,» «nine grain,» or «made with whole grains» that may create an undue health halo for their bread offerings. By law, a bread can only be called whole grain if it offers 50% or more whole grain content. Panera currently offers a wider range of whole grain offerings than any other major restaurant chain, including its new Farmstyle Loaf, made with 55% whole grain and offering 1.2 servings of whole grain per slice.
«Food Interrupted» Digital Platform Advocates for Food System Change
In production with Participant Media’s SoulPancake and ACE Content and cooperation with HuffPost, «Food Interrupted,» aims to spark a dialogue about the food system, ultimately giving people more information and simple ways to affect change. The six episode weekly series will feature Marcus Samuelsson, Hannah Hart, Sam Talbot, Kevin Curry, Chris Cosentino and Rainn Wilson on topics ranging from clean ingredients and sugar consumption to animal welfare and plant-based meals.
Comment by Blaine Hurst, Panera CEO: «At our size and scale, we believe it’s part of our job to help revolutionize the food industry from the inside out – challenging the way things have always been done. From the whole grain in our breads to the ingredients in our food – we will be relentless, leading by example and committed to increased transparency,» Hurst said. «But we can’t do it alone. People deserve to know more about their food and how it makes its way to their plate. Together, we can make a real change in the food system.»
Upcoming Food Interrupted episodes include…
- «Plants Interrupted» (airing 10/22) – Kevin Curry (@fitmencook) and firefighter turned cookbook author Rip Esselstyn visit a firehouse to discuss the benefits of a more plant-based diet.
- «Sugar Interrupted» (10/29) – Chef Sam Talbot, a Type1 Diabetic, discusses managing sugar intake and explores emerging technology that could be a potential game changer for those struggling with diabetes.
- «Eggs Interrupted» (11/05) – New York Times Best-Selling author and food enthusiast, Hannah Hart, visits an egg farm to learn what makes an egg 100% real and discusses what some «eggs» are really made of.
- «Meat Interrupted» (11/12) – Chef Chris Cosentino visits a cattle ranch to learn about groundbreaking, humane technology helping to track animal health.
- «Clean Interrupted» (11/19) – Actor Rainn Wilson, in pursuit of his own clean food journey, explores cutting-edge crop sharing among urban gardeners.
Comment by Sara Burnett, Director of Wellness: «At Panera, we’ve always tried to do what’s right, regardless of what our industry has accepted as efficient or good enough,» Burnett said. «Interestingly, multiple whole grain options available at grocers through our Panera at Home bread business helped remind us what really matters in bread and inspired us to translate their progress into our restaurants. Guests deserve real, measureable information, but also options – and we offer more whole grain options than any other national restaurant chain. When we combine our own actions with consumer education in our new «Food Interrupted» series, we believe we can create real demand for better food.»
