With greater than 700 items, Einstein is the biggest of the 4 bagel manufacturers within the household. | Picture courtesy of Einstein Bros.
The bagel manufacturers inside Panera Manufacturers are consolidating, at the least in a single market.
Einstein Bros. Bagels, a more-than-700-unit chain throughout the group that additionally consists of Bruegger’s Bagels, Manhattan Bagel and Noah’s NY Bagels, is rolling out a brand new retailer design it has dubbed “Elevate the Morning.”
The design is supposed to create an environment that’s extra “premium fast-casual breakfast spot,” in line with a press launch, with enhanced in-store eating, in addition to the comfort of on-line ordering.
A rendering of the brand new Einstein Bros. prototype. | Rendering courtesy of Einstein Bros.
The transfer comes as Einstein plots aggressive progress. The chain plans to open greater than 100 new bakeries in each present and close to markets this yr by means of 2026. The brand new markets embody Ohio, Utah, Georgia and Nevada.
The method will start in Cincinnati, which can function an innovation hub. There, an present Einstein unit shall be transformed. As well as, 5 places of sister model Bruegger’s shall be transformed to Einstein, that includes the brand new design. A sixth Bruegger’s unit there’s scheduled to be closed subsequent yr, the corporate mentioned.
Bruegger’s loyalty members will have the ability to convert their reward factors to Einstein, and, actually, will get a 500-point bonus.
Does this imply the corporate is seeking to rebrand Bruegger’s items elsewhere?
The corporate in an e mail mentioned there are not any plans to retire the Bruegger’s model extra broadly.
“The model stays an vital a part of our household of manufacturers,” the corporate mentioned. “Whereas some places are being transformed to Einstein Bros. Bagels, Bruegger’s will proceed working in choose markets the place it has robust group roots.”
The corporate mentioned the opposite bagel manufacturers would additionally stay the place they’ve robust ties to respective markets. “We do not make a blanket shift to Einstein Bros solely,” the corporate mentioned. “We’re persevering with to evaluate alternatives market by market.”
Einstein, Bruegger’s and the opposite bagel manufacturers are all sister manufacturers to Panera Bread and Caribou Espresso underneath the Panera Manufacturers group. All are owned by Europe-based conglomerate JAB Holding.
Final yr, there have been studies that JAB was exploring a sale of Caribou and the bagel manufacturers in a deal that on the time would have been valued at about $1.5 billion.
All 4 bagel manufacturers grew gross sales final yr, although Bruegger’s decreased barely in unit depend.
Einstein ended 2024 with $649 million in gross sales, which was up greater than 11% year-over-year, with 689 items, a 2% enhance, in line with Technomic knowledge.
The brand new Einstein Bros. prototype’s inside is designed to be extra elevated. | Rendering courtesy of Einstein Bros.
The much-smaller Bruegger’s, in the meantime, had gross sales of $180 million (up 3%) with 179 items, a virtually 2% lower in contrast with the prior yr.
Manhattan Bagel had 68 items final yr, which remained flat, and gross sales of practically $52 million, a 9% enhance.
And Noah’s is the smallest of the 4, with 56 items final yr, although gross sales exceeded Manhattan Bagel. Noah’s gross sales had been up practically 12% final yr to just about $90 million, in line with Technomic.
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