YOU PICK 2® PACKED WITH FLAVOR: PANERA IGNITES 2022 MENU WITH NEW SOUP AND SALAD DUO

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Panera Bread has announced two delicious new menu items curated by Panera's expert chefs: Thai Chicken Soup and Citrus Asian Crunch Salad with chicken. Both items are from Panera's new platform of bold, globally-inspired, authentic flavors that begin rolling out this year. They can be enjoyed alone or as part of the ultimate flavor-packed You Pick 2. Panera's iconic You Pick 2 combination entrees allow guests to mix and match — from comforting and classic to bold and adventurous – into 465 combinations.

Just in time for National Soup Month, the new Thai Chicken Soup is the first of more than 10 new flavor-packed Panera soups in the brand's innovation pipeline, all inspired by bold and authentic flavors from around the world. Chicken, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, red bell peppers and edamame are simmered in a rich, Thai yellow coconut curry broth with lemongrass, ginger, galangal, and Thai lime to deliver a delicious, gently spicy soup.

Building on Panera's legacy of culinary innovation, Panera's chefs have been in the kitchen creating a new lineup of soups inspired by bold and authentic flavors from around the world. Throughout the next couple of years, Panera plans to add more delicious new soup options to the menu, including a sweet and spicy Mexican Street Corn Chowder this summer, and other exciting chef soup creations such as Cajun Shrimp & Andouille Sausage, Greek Lemon Chicken & Farro and Cuban Black Bean & Poblano.

The new Citrus Asian Crunch Salad with chicken also joins the Panera lineup this month, featuring fresh romaine and a blend of chopped broccoli, green cabbage, carrots, and kale tossed with edamame, pickled red onions, and fresh cilantro in tangerine soy ginger dressing then topped with warm seared chicken thigh meat, crispy carrots, and a teriyaki drizzle.

"Our chefs have been meticulously obsessing over every ingredient in our test kitchens, creating new menu items with a focus on taking familiar flavors and adding a unique Panera twist, turning them into bold, amazing dishes our guests will love," said Claes Petersson, Head Chef and Chief Food Innovation Officer at Panera Bread. "From classic Panera favorites to new, enticingly bold flavors, we hope to satisfy any craving and provide more adventurous flavors for our customers."

To try the new items and create your own You Pick 2 combination, visit www.panerabread.com, download the Panera app or visit your local Panera Bread bakery-cafe.

About Panera Bread
30 years ago, at a time when quick service meant low quality, Panera set out to challenge this expectation. We believed that food that was good and that you could feel good about, served in a warm and welcoming environment by people who cared, could bring out the best in all of us. To us, that is food as it should be and that is why we exist.

So, we began with a simple commitment: to bake bread fresh every day in our bakery-cafes. No short cuts, just bakers with simple ingredients and hot ovens. Each night, any unsold bread and baked goods were shared with neighbors in need. 

These traditions carry on today, as we have continued to find ways to be an ally for wellness to our guests. That means crafting a menu of soups, salads and sandwiches that we are proud to feed our families. Like poultry and pork raised without antibiotics on our salads and sandwiches. A commitment to transparency and options that empower our guests to eat the way they want. Seasonal flavors and whole grains. And a commitment to not using the artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavors, and colors set forth on our No-No list in the food in our U.S. bakery-cafes.

Why? Because we think that simpler is better and we believe in serving food as it should be. Because when you don't have to compromise to eat well, all that is left is the joy of eating.

We're also focused on improving quality and convenience. With investments in technology and operations, we now offer new ways to enjoy your Panera favorites – like mobile ordering and Rapid Pick-Up® for to-go orders and delivery – all designed to make things easier for our guests.

As of December 28, 2021, there were 2,118 bakery-cafes in 48 states and in Ontario, Canada, operating under the Panera Bread® or Saint Louis Bread Co.® names. Panera Bread is part of Panera Brands, one of the world's largest fast casual restaurant companies, comprised of Panera Bread®, Caribou Coffee® and Einstein Bros.® Bagels. For more information, visit panerabread.com or find us on Twitter (@panerabread), Facebook (facebook.com/panerabread) or Instagram (@panerabread).

Media Contact
ALISON BROD MARKETING + COMMUNICATIONS
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SOURCE Panera Bread