Panera Bread will begin testing a gluten-free bread option in the Detroit market later this month, with plans to roll it out nationally during 2016, Yahoo Food reports.
The test item, a rosemary focaccia roll, will be marketed to customers as “gluten-conscious,” as its storage beside gluten-containing offerings could create problems for customers with severe sensitivities, Yahoo says.
While other concepts may have beaten Panera to the gluten-free punch, the fast casual’s head baker implies the new product is worth the wait. “I went kicking and screaming into the world of gluten-free bread as an artisan baker,” Tom Gumpel told Yahoo. “There is little to no good-tasting gluten-free bread in this country, and I’ve eaten about every slice there is.”
In Detroit, the rosemary focaccia roll will cost $1 if purchased on its own, an additional $1.50 if bought on a sandwich and 75 cents extra when chosen as a side, Yahoo says.
Panera’s foray into gluten-free items comes as the company makes strides to strip its menu of artificial ingredients, an effort it aims to complete by next year.
Read the full story via Yahoo Food.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.