Panera Bread, a leader and pioneer in the fast-casual restaurant industry, is preparing to open its first Downtown Toronto location since closing its high-profile Yonge-Dundas site in 2020. The new location will be at 253 College Street.
Currently, Panera maintains a strong presence across Ontario with nine locations, primarily in suburban and secondary markets including Barrie, Belleville, Kingston, Markham, Mississauga, Oakville, Oshawa, Ottawa, and Whitby. The College Street location will be the chain’s only downtown Toronto store, expected to open in May or June 2025, according to YourCityWithin. When this new downtown location opens, customers can expect its signature menu of artisan breads, pastries, sandwiches, soups, and salads. This is the latest from Franchise Management Inc., one of North America’s largest Pizza Hut, KFC, and Taco Bell franchise operators, which also operates Panera Bread cafes in Canada. A representative from the company tells What Now Toronto that this will be the group’s 11th Panera location in Ontario.
This is a massive accomplishment for Panera, considering the brand first made its Toronto debut in 2012 at 322 Yonge Street but was forced to close during the pandemic. Now the company is gearing up for a revival in downtown. The news of the upcoming location comes only a few months after the company announced two new leadership appointments in marketing and culinary, with Robin Seward as Senior Vice President, Brand and Integrated Marketing, and Scott Uehlein as Vice President, Culinary. Both leaders joined Panera in early January and report to Chief Marketing Officer Mark Shambura.
Robin Seward has joined Panera as the Senior Vice President of Brand and Integrated Marketing. He will oversee marketing strategies, consumer insights, product development, and the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) business. Seward has strong experience in the restaurant industry, having previously worked as the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Subway and the Chief Marketing Officer for Schlotzsky’s Austin Eatery and Rita’s Italian Ice. Scott Uehlein, on the other hand, has joined Panera as the Vice President of Culinary. He leads the culinary team and manages menu development and innovation. With 30 years in the restaurant industry, Uehlein has worked as the Vice President of Culinary at Papa John’s, MOD Pizza, and Sonic. He also served as Vice President of Food and Beverage at Canyon Ranch Resorts and has experience as the Corporate Chef at ILX Resorts. He earned his degree from the Culinary Institute of America.
“I am excited to welcome Robin and Scott to an already stellar group of marketing leaders at Panera,” Mark Shambura, Panera Bread’s Chief Marketing Officer, said in a press release. They will be instrumental as we focus on innovating this year through our marketing strategy and menu offerings. I’m thrilled for them to join our team and look forward to what’s coming next.”
