Hamra Enterprises has acquired 24 Panera Bread stores across Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Tennessee | Photo credit: Hamra Enterprises

Missouri-based restaurant group Hamra Enterprises has acquired 24 Panera Bread outlets from CSC Investments. 
 

The addition of the sites, located in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Tennessee, brings Hamra Enterprises’ Panera Bread portfolio to 90 stores. 

The transaction also sees more than 800 CSC employees move to Hamra Enterprises, increasing the latter’s staff count to over 7,400. 

“Thanks to a quality team dedicated to guest service and excellence, Hamra Enterprises has experienced phenomenal growth over the past year, which has enabled us to grow our family and the communities we serve,” said Mike Hamra, President and CEO of Hamra Enterprises.  

“We are excited to be adding 24 locations that were developed by another great Panera Bread owner who has been a Panera Bread franchisee for 24 years, and I am excited to have the employees of CSC join our team and looking forward to supporting them in their business to serve guests and the communities they do business in,” he added. 

Panera Bread has more than 2,100 US outlets, making it the third largest branded coffee chain in the country behind Starbucks and Dunkin’. 

In April 2023, Hamra Enterprises signed a multi-unit agreement to open 24 Caribou Coffee locations throughout Missouri as part of the Minneapolis-based coffee chain’s US franchise drive.

Panera Bread and Caribou Coffee are both part of JAB Holding-managed coffee and food-to-go group Panera Brands.
 

Hamra Enterprises also operates 98 Wendy’s and seven Noodles & Company restaurants.