Au Bon Pain
 | |
| Industry | Fast-casual bakery and café restaurant |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1978 in Boston, United States of America |
| Founder | Louis Kane |
Area served | United States, India, Thailand |
Key people | Susan Morelli, President and CEO |
| Owner | LNK Partners and management |
| Website |
AuBonPain |
Au Bon Pain (French pronunciation: [o bɔ̃ pɛ̃], meaning "With the Good Bread"[1]) is a fast-casual bakery and café chain headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.[2] In 1978, Louis Kane founded the first Au Bon Pain in Boston. Since its inception, the chain has expanded throughout the United States. Additionally, there are numerous franchise locations internationally in India[3] and Thailand.[4]
History
In 1984, the first Au Bon Pain cafe outside of Boston opened in New York City. In 1991, the company went public as Au Bon Pain Co. Inc. In 1999, Au Bon Pain Co. Inc. sold its Au Bon Pain division to Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co., which then sold it to Compass Group in 2000.[5] Following a management buyout in 2005, private equity group LNK Partners acquired a controlling interest in Au Bon Pain in 2008.[6]
Susan Morelli is the President and CEO of Au Bon Pain. In 2014, under Morelli's leadership, Au Bon Pain was named one of the top women-led businesses in Massachusetts by the Boston Globe and the Commonwealth Institute (Boston).[7]
Locations
As of 2014, there were 243 cafés in the United States, including 135 company-owned locations and 108 franchise locations, along with many international locations in India and Thailand. Most of the locations in the Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic States, and Chicago Metropolitan Area are company-owned, while international locations, such as the locations featured in Macy's and Walmart, are typically franchised. Detroit, Boston, New York City, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Chicago are all home to numerous Au Bon Pain locations. Many Au Bon Pain cafés have been established throughout the United States in numerous airports, train stations, shopping centers, hospitals, urban business districts in cities, and universities.
In addition to retail cafes, Au Bon Pain also runs a catering division which is done mostly out of their main restaurant locations during their off hours.[8]
Food
Au Bon Pain focuses on serving baked goods (focusing on fresh-baked bread, pastries, croissants, and bagels), tea, coffee and espresso beverages, breakfast foods (such as egg sandwiches), and lunch items such as soup, salads, and sandwiches. In recent years, the chain has undergone a brand identity upgrade that has incorporated new colors, design, and imagery. In 2014, Au Bon Pain hired Katherine See as Executive Chef.[9]
In 2015, Au Bon Pain was ranked the healthiest United States chain restaurant by Grellin Grade.[10] Au Bon Pain has also been recognized by Eat This, Not That for "an unrivaled standard of nutritional transparency".[11]
See also
References
- ↑ Cannon, Leeann (January 31, 2005). "Au Bon Pain: bakery-cafe weighs in on diet fads, offers more healthful fare to concerned customers". FindArticles. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
- ↑ "Directions to the Au Bon Pain Corporate Support Center". Au Bon Pain. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
- ↑ "Au Bon Pain: Find a Cafe: Thailand". aubonpain.com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
- ↑ "Au Bon Pain: Find a Cafe: Thailand". aubonpain.com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
- ↑ "Panera Bread " Company Overview " Our History". Panerabread.com. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
- ↑ "Au Bon Pain Acquisition by LNK Partners and Management Closes". http://www.prnewswire.com/. Retrieved January 21, 2015. External link in
|publisher=(help) - ↑ "2014 Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts". http://www.bostonglobe.com/. Retrieved January 21, 2015. External link in
|publisher=(help) - ↑ "Au Bon Pain Catering". aubonpain.com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
- ↑ "Au Bon Pain names new corporate executive chef". nrn.com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
- ↑ "Au Bon Pain named healthiest chain restaurant by Grellin". fastcasual.com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
- ↑ "Eat This, Not That: Au Bon Pain". eatthis.com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.