Panera Bread: opens first bakery-cafe in Canada

Toronto / CA. (mw) Millennium Bread Inc. announced the opening of Canada´s first Panera Bread bakery-cafe. Franchise owner is the Torontonian Craig Milne. The new bakery-cafe at Richmond Hill, the first of three planned to open by early 2009, will open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For breakfast, Panera Bread offers a wide selection of artisan breads, bagels, pastries, souffles, breakfast sandwiches, baked goods, coffee and hot and cold espresso beverages. The bakery-cafe also offers hand-tossed salads, signature sandwiches and hearty soups served in edible sourdough bread bowls. The menu is complemented by specialty seasonal products, as well as fresh breads baked daily by skilled bakers in the bakery-cafe. Panera Bread offers a unique dining experience, with quick service, real china, overstuffed chairs and cozy conversation areas. Each bakery-cafe also offers free wireless fidelity (WiFi) internet access. Milne is also committed to supporting the local community, through the Panera Bread Operation Dough-Nation(R) programs and others. Milne said two additional bakery-cafes – one in Mississauga and the other in Thornhill – are expected to open by early 2009. Millennium Bread Inc. is a franchisee of Panera Bread Company, which owns and franchises over 1’200 bakery-cafes under the Panera Bread(R) and Saint Louis Bread Co.(R) names in North America.