Covelli Enterprises is not new to the restaurant game. The Ohio-based company has been in the business for more than fifty years, once one of the largest franchisees of McDonalds and now the single largest franchisee of Panera Bread, LLC with more than 315 locations nationwide. Throughout its experience, the company has witnessed countless trends and mounting consumer preferences. First customers wanted a ‘third space’ or ‘home away from home’. They also wanted convenience. Next they wanted unmatched food quality. Then they wanted complete menu transparency. Now it seems they want all of this and more – including all day access, anywhere they are. For any other brand, that might feel like an impossible mountain to climb. Sam Covelli, CEO of Covelli Enterprises, explains why Panera was built exactly for the purpose of addressing these ever-growing demands, and why his commitment to the brand only gets stronger as he watches it evolve to lead the industry where it is headed.

With a high temperature of 84 degrees Fahrenheit and a humidity level of 93%, this year’s Panerathon was a hot and muggy one to say the least. Runners, walkers, and spectators dressed in their shorts and dri fit short-sleeved shirts to keep themselves cool while out in the sun for the 9th annual 10k/2 mile walk/run. A small group, however, could be seen donning full head-to-toe firefighting gear including jackets, pants, air packs and helmets. These items not only add extra insulation for these participants but also an additional 50-70 lbs. of weight to carry.

Every year on a Sunday in late August, hundreds of teams and individuals gather together in downtown Youngstown, Ohio to walk, jog, or run for one common cause: to raise funds for the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center (JACBCC) at St. Elizabeth Hospital Youngstown. This facility, which opened its doors in 2011, has served nearly 70,000 women in the region, and is responsible for improved outcomes for so many dealing with the devastating diagnosis of breast cancer.

Imagine you’re walking into Panera Bread to enjoy a breakfast sandwich and an iced coffee on a Saturday morning in late May. As you enter, though, you are halted by a group of middle school girls all dressed in the same organization’s t-shirt. Your first thoughts may likely be… what are these kids going to ask me for? How much are they are going to request I donate to their cause?

It’s been nearly four years since the Cincinnati market has seen a new Panera Bread location. Now, we’re starting a new wave of growth in the Queen City beginning with the recent Grand Opening of our drive-thru café in Mason with many more to come. In other words, the focus on expanding the Panera Bread concept in Cincy, one of our home state’s largest cities, has just begun!