RISE - Menu Monitor

Bon Pain has switched to all-natural chicken for its signature salads and sandwiches and now boasts a menu free of trans fat.
The bakery-café chain worked for four years to eliminate trans fat. Au Bon Pain recently introduced a revamped menu offering
nutrition facts and has added in-store nutrition kiosks that provide in-depth ingredient and dietary information about menu
items. In other news, Au Bon Pain opened a catering facility in Washington, DC, that will serve as a central commissary for its
growing catering business. The 200-unit bakery-café chain is using this facility to provide freshly baked goods for its smaller
stores as well as for catered events for up to 5,000 guests. Au Bon Pain officials at its Boston headquarters estimated that the
catering facility will increase sales in the Washington, DC, area by as much as 25% over the next year. (QSR Magazine Online
10/15/07; NRN Daily NewsFax 10/5/07; QSR Magazine Online 10/4/07)
Au Bon Pain added two sandwiches to its menu. The Eggplant & Mozzarella Sandwich features grilled eggplant, fresh
mozzarella, tomato, mayonnaise and Mediterranean relish on ciabatta bread, and the Prosciutto Mozzarella Sandwich is made
with prosciutto, mozzarella, romaine, tomato, mayonnaise and Mediterranean relish on a farmhouse roll. (Company Website)
International Activities |
Au Bon Pain inked an agreement with Rex Holdings Co. Ltd. to open 300 outlets in Japan over five years. Tokyo-based Rex
Holdings will open outlets of the chain in Japan’s major cities. Rex Holdings operates more than 1,400 restaurants in Japan,
including the Gyu-Kaku chain as well as Seijo Ishii Co. supermarkets and CostIs Inc., a restaurant distributor. Au Bon Pain
currently has 255 units in the U.S., Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea. (Bloomberg.com 1/16/07)
Au Bon Pain signed a franchise deal with Reins International to open 300 of the bakery-cafes throughout Japan. (NRN Daily
NewsFax 1/18/07)
Technology |
Au Bon Pain has launched its new website that features comprehensive nutritional information. The site allows customers to
search for menu items that meet their dietary needs. The 225-unit, fast-casual bakery-café chain’s website also enables users
to build an entire meal and view its total nutritional content. (Nation’s Restaurant News 8/13/07)
Personnel |
Sue Morelli, CEO
Tim Oliveri, CFO
Wade Winters, V.P. of Purchasing
Willy Nicolini, V.P. of Operations
Tomas John, V.P. of Research & Development
Greg Frechette, V.P. of Marketing
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