Transformation and Growth of Panera Bread

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Explore the journey of Panera Bread's transformation as the speaker makes pivotal decisions to focus solely on Panera, leading to innovations like removing trans fats and introducing pay-what-you-can concept. Follow Ron's revival strategies as CEO, facing challenges but ultimately achieving significant sales growth and an acquisition deal. Dive into trend spotting with insights on the Mediterranean food chain Kava and the speaker's personal growth philosophy.

Some business leaders have a seemingly psychic ability to spot trends, and take them mainstream at just the right moment. Ron Shaich is one of those. As a pioneering force behind fast-casual dining, Shaich saw that a growing number of Americans craved higher quality food in a relaxed yet speedy setting. His first major company, Au Bon Pain, paved the way for the meteoric rise of Panera Bread, with more than 2,000 locations nationwide. An accidental start running a convenience store first showed Ron the power of business to enact change. And his curiosity about trends and pattern recognition has fueled the growth of his businesses for decades. These forces have led to Ron Shaich upending how we eat like few others.

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