Panera Bread will begin adding units at airports and travel plazas under a multiunit development deal with concessionaire HMSHost, the fast-casual chain announced this week.
Panera units are slated to open at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Salt Lake City International Airport next year, with additional airport and travel plaza locations slated to open throughout 2020 and beyond, the company said.
“With Panera Bread as our exclusive partner, we are transforming the fast-casual category in airports and motorways across the United States,” HMSHost President and CEO Steve Johnson said in a statement.
In addition to Panera’s traditional menu of salads, sandwiches, soups and breakfast offerings, the new units will feature grab-and-go items designed for travelers. Ordering kiosks and app-based ordering will be available at the new nontraditional units.
“We’re pleased to partner with HMSHost to bring Panera to airport and travel plaza locations across the U.S.,” said Dan Wegiel, Panera’s executive vice president, chief growth and strategy officer. “Panera is uniquely positioned to fill the void between quality and convenience for hungry travelers, offering the same better-for-you menu options they know and love from our traditional bakery-cafes, with all the speed they need while in transit. The HMSHost partnership expands consumers’ access to the brand, delivering on our vision to bring Panera closer to those who hunger for our food wherever, whenever and however they choose.”
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