Sponsored By

Panera Bread adds a grocery rewards program to its growing loyalty portfolio

Customers who spend $20 on Panera’s CPG products at a grocery store will get a $5 gift card to spend in-café

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

June 29, 2023

1 Min Read

Joanna Fantozzi

Panera Bread is continuing to expand its portfolio of rewards and benefits with the introduction of a grocery rewards program that is slated to run through the fall. Under the program, Panera is offering a $5 gift card for use in-store to any customers who buy $20 of Panera CPG products at grocery stores including Kroger, Publix, and Walmart.

According to Panera, the program is designed to create awareness of the company’s Panera at Home retail products — which include pre-packaged soups, bowls, dressing, and breads — and create brand synergy between people who shop Panera and those who order Panera in-store.

This is just the latest feature Panera Bread has added to its portfolio of options for its most loyal fans. The St. Louis-based bakery-café chain began offering personalized rewards for its MyPanera loyalty program members last fall, and then in February, Panera rolled out an annual membership for the wildly successful expansion of its Unlimited Sips beverage subscription program, which originally launched as a coffee-and-tea--only subscription shortly before the pandemic.

The subscription program mimics an upgraded loyalty program, with other perks like $0 delivery fee on all online Panera orders and “Sip Club Saturday” deals just for members, along with VIP challenges and prizes.

Related:5 things: CPG brands are stacking their dollars in dollar stores

The new Panera Grocery Rewards program adds another option for Panera customers and will be fully promoted across channels, including email and social media marketing, and in-grocery-store point-of-purchase.

Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected]

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News