JESSUP, Md. — Panera Bread plans to close its Howard County bakery facility, impacting 118 employees. This is part of a move the company announced in 2024, switching to a par-baked model - meaning bread is partially baked and fully finished at the restaurant - instead of using fresh dough.
The Howard County facility on Dorsey Run Road in Jessup is expected to close between May 20 and May 22. That's according to a notice filed with Maryland's Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) on March 17.
Panera Bread sent WMAR a statement about the closure: "We deeply value our team members and are committed to supporting them through this transition with resources, career opportunities, and guidance."
The company did not specify what resources or support programs would be available to the 118 affected employees.
In April of last year, Panera told Nation's Restaurant News that it would close its remaining fresh dough facilities over the next 18 months to 2 years as part of its nationwide shift to a par-baked model.
Panera opened its first bakery-café in 1987 with a secret sourdough starter. Now there are more than 2,200 locations across the country.
