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A look at Ron Shaich’s latest investments

The Panera and Au Bon Pain founder takes hands-on role in bakery-cafe and fast-casual concepts

Gloria Dawson

May 24, 2019

8 Slides
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Abigail Connor

Ron Shaich, the former CEO of Panera Bread Co and founder of Au Bon Pain, has turned his focus to investing through his $300 million investment fund, Act III Holdings.

As Shaich sees it, act one for him was founding Au Bon Pain, while helping to establish the bakery-cafe segment. Act two was purchasing and growing what would ultimately become Panera, a chain he grew to more than 2,000 units and pioneered the fast-casual segment. He later sold Panera to JAB Holding for $7.5 billion. Act three for Shaich is investing in brands that represent a “better competitive alternative.” He’s garnered attention over the past year for his investments in Mediterranean fast-casual concept Cava.

Recently, he’s taken an active, hands-on role in Tatte and Life Alive, two Massachusetts-based concepts. Here’s a look at those investments.

Contact Gloria Dawson at [email protected]

Follow her on Twitter: @GloriaDawson

About the Author

Gloria Dawson

Gloria Dawson is a senior editor at Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Hospitality and Supermarket News. She writes and edits breaking news and feature stories and conceptualizes and manages various sections and special issues of NRN magazine.

She joined the restaurant and food group in 2018 after writing for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Eater and various other publications. She earned her master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and her BFA in art history and photography from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University.

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