Au Bon Pain
Encyclopedia
Au Bon Pain is a fast-casual
bakery and cafe chain headquartered in Boston
, Massachusetts
. Louis Rapuano and Louis Kane founded the first Au Bon Pain in Boston in 1978. Since then, the chain has expanded throughout the U.S. and to India
, South Korea
and Thailand
.
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. (later renamed Panera Bread
Company) sold its Au Bon Pain division to Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co.
, which then sold it to Compass Group in 2000. Louis Kane was not a founder since the Au Bon Pain in Fanueil Hall existed before he and Arthur Blasburg were involved in acquiring the interest of Pavaillier Machinery (manufacturers of the French equipment)
According to Hoovers.com, in 2005, Au Bon Pain management purchased 75 percent of the company while the Compass Group
retained the remaining 25 percent. The current President and CEO of Au Bon Pain is Sue Morelli.
, there were 230 cafes in the United States
and abroad with many of them featured in Walmart and Macy's
Department Stores. Most of the stores in the northeast United States are company-owned, while international locations, such as the locations featured in Macy's
and Walmart, are typically franchised. Boston
; New York City
; Pittsburgh; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.
; Detroit; and Chicago
are all home to numerous Au Bon Pain locations. Many Au Bon Pain stores have been established in transportation facilities such as airports and train stations, as well as shopping centers, hospitals and business districts in cities. Au Bon Pain has three locations in New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal
. The chain is also very successful on college campuses: the University of Pennsylvania
has one location on its campus, and Virginia Tech has three. One of those three Virginia Tech locations, the one in the Graduate Life Center section of campus, was the site of the 2009 murder of Xin Yang
.
There are also locations in Thailand and South Korea.
The chain focuses on serving coffee drinks, baked goods (with a focus on croissant
s and bagel
s), and lunch items such as soup, salads, and sandwiches. In recent years, the chain has undergone a brand identity upgrade which has incorporated colors, design, and imagery from traditional French motifs. In 2004, Au Bon Pain hired Chef Thomas John, executive chef from Boston's Mantra restaurant, which was named one of Esquire
's best restaurants of 2001 and Condé Nast Traveler
s top restaurants of 2003. John was named one of "America's Best New Chefs" in 2002 by Food & Wine
magazine. As a continuation of the new strategy, many cafes are being built or renovated into "Marketplace" stores, in which the product is made available in a self-serve fashion to customers.
In addition to retail cafes, Au Bon Pain also runs a catering
division.
The chain was recognized in 2003 for its use of touchscreen
terminals offering nutritional information to patrons.
The Fox News Channel
morning program Fox and Friends engages in product placement
advertising with Au Bon Pain by having the hosts drink from Au Bon Pain branded cups. Likewise, Imus in the Morning
, which airs on the Fox Business Network
, has guests drinking from Au Bon Pain cups. Don Imus
and Charles McCord
, however, use Imus Ranch
cups.
Fast casual restaurant
A fast casual restaurant is a type of restaurant that does not offer full table service, but promises a higher quality of food and atmosphere than a fast food restaurant. In the US, it is a relatively new and growing concept positioned between fast food and casual dining...
bakery and cafe chain headquartered in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Louis Rapuano and Louis Kane founded the first Au Bon Pain in Boston in 1978. Since then, the chain has expanded throughout the U.S. and to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
History
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1991, the company went public as Au Bon Pain Co. Inc. In 1999, Au Bon Pain Co. Inc. (later renamed Panera Bread
Panera Bread
Panera Bread is a chain of bakery–café quick casual restaurants in the United States and Canada that sells breads, sandwiches, soups, salads, and other bakery items. Its headquarters are in Sunset Hills, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.-Corporate history:In 1993, Au Bon Pain Co...
Company) sold its Au Bon Pain division to Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co.
Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co.
Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co. is a private equity firm focused on growth capital investments in middle-market companies in the consumer products, specialty retail and restaurant sectors....
, which then sold it to Compass Group in 2000. Louis Kane was not a founder since the Au Bon Pain in Fanueil Hall existed before he and Arthur Blasburg were involved in acquiring the interest of Pavaillier Machinery (manufacturers of the French equipment)
According to Hoovers.com, in 2005, Au Bon Pain management purchased 75 percent of the company while the Compass Group
Compass Group
Compass Group plc is a global contract foodservice and support services company headquartered near London, United Kingdom. It is the largest contract foodservice company in the world and has operations in over 50 countries...
retained the remaining 25 percent. The current President and CEO of Au Bon Pain is Sue Morelli.
, there were 230 cafes in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and abroad with many of them featured in Walmart and Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
Department Stores. Most of the stores in the northeast United States are company-owned, while international locations, such as the locations featured in Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
and Walmart, are typically franchised. Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
; New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
; Pittsburgh; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
; Detroit; and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
are all home to numerous Au Bon Pain locations. Many Au Bon Pain stores have been established in transportation facilities such as airports and train stations, as well as shopping centers, hospitals and business districts in cities. Au Bon Pain has three locations in New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the main gateway for interstate buses into Manhattan in New York City...
. The chain is also very successful on college campuses: the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
has one location on its campus, and Virginia Tech has three. One of those three Virginia Tech locations, the one in the Graduate Life Center section of campus, was the site of the 2009 murder of Xin Yang
Murder of Yang Xin
The murder of Yang Xin took place on 21 January 2009 at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. Yang Xin, a 22-year-old Chinese graduate student who had just arrived from Beijing on January 8, was decapitated with a kitchen knife in a cafe on...
.
There are also locations in Thailand and South Korea.
The chain focuses on serving coffee drinks, baked goods (with a focus on croissant
Croissant
A croissant is a buttery flaky pastry named for its distinctive crescent shape. It is also sometimes called a crescent, from the French word for "crescent". Croissants are made of a leavened variant of puff pastry...
s and bagel
Bagel
A bagel is a bread product, traditionally shaped by hand into the form of a ring from yeasted wheat dough, roughly hand-sized, which is first boiled for a short time in water and then baked. The result is a dense, chewy, doughy interior with a browned and sometimes crisp exterior...
s), and lunch items such as soup, salads, and sandwiches. In recent years, the chain has undergone a brand identity upgrade which has incorporated colors, design, and imagery from traditional French motifs. In 2004, Au Bon Pain hired Chef Thomas John, executive chef from Boston's Mantra restaurant, which was named one of Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
's best restaurants of 2001 and Condé Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler
Condé Nast Traveler is a US magazine published by Condé Nast. It has its origins in a mailing sent out by the Diners Club club beginning in 1953, listing locations that would take the card. It began taking advertising in 1955. In order to attract more advertisers, it became a full-fledged magazine,...
s top restaurants of 2003. John was named one of "America's Best New Chefs" in 2002 by Food & Wine
Food & Wine
Food & Wine is a monthly magazine published by American Express Publishing. It was founded in 1978 by Ariane and Michael Batterberry. It features recipes, cooking tips, travel information, restaurant reviews, chefs, wine pairings and seasonal/holiday content and has been credited by The New York...
magazine. As a continuation of the new strategy, many cafes are being built or renovated into "Marketplace" stores, in which the product is made available in a self-serve fashion to customers.
In addition to retail cafes, Au Bon Pain also runs a catering
Catering
Catering is the business of providing foodservice at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, public house , or other location.-Mobile catering:A mobile caterer serves food directly from a vehicle or cart that is designed for the purpose...
division.
The chain was recognized in 2003 for its use of touchscreen
Touchscreen
A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area. The term generally refers to touching the display of the device with a finger or hand. Touchscreens can also sense other passive objects, such as a stylus...
terminals offering nutritional information to patrons.
The Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
morning program Fox and Friends engages in product placement
Product placement
Product placement, or embedded marketing, is a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, music videos, the story line of television shows, or news programs. The product placement is often not disclosed at the time that the...
advertising with Au Bon Pain by having the hosts drink from Au Bon Pain branded cups. Likewise, Imus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning is an American radio show hosted by Don Imus on Cumulus Media Networks , and simulcast for television on Fox Business Network....
, which airs on the Fox Business Network
Fox Business Network
Fox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
, has guests drinking from Au Bon Pain cups. Don Imus
Don Imus
John Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
and Charles McCord
Charles McCord
Charles McCord was a news anchor and on-air radio personality in the New York metropolitan area. He was most notable for being the right-hand man of Don Imus during the long run of Imus in the Morning for over three decades.McCord began his radio career at KICK in Springfield, Missouri in 1963...
, however, use Imus Ranch
Imus Ranch
The Imus Ranch is a working cattle ranch of nearly 4,000 acres located in Ribera, New Mexico, southeastof Santa Fe. It was founded in 1999 by long-time radio personality Don Imus and his wife Deirdre as a charitable organization that seeks to ensure the continuity of the lives of children who are...
cups.