Why Panera's First Attempt At Pizza Was A Huge Flop

Panera Bread may be known for its freshly baked baguettes and warm soup combos, but the fast-casual chain has made it clear it doesn't want to be pigeonholed as a place that only serves up soup and bread. After taking some all new eats for a test run in 2019, the brand bulked up its menu in 2020 by adding new items like bowls filled with chicken and rice to its lineup (per National Restaurant News). But out of all the then-freshly debuted products that made foodie's mouths water, one all-new food category stood out to avid Panera fans — and that was the addition of Panera's very own pizza.

While Today notes Panera's pies aren't as healthy as some of its other products, Elite Daily reported that Twitter users were gushing over these pizzas when they first hit stores. However, although the flatbread line (which originally debuted in three different flavors, chipotle chicken and bacon, margarita, and cheese) turned out to be a win for the company, the product's Panera pizza ancestor was far from a success.

This may come as a surprise to some Panera regulars, but Baking Business reports there was, in fact, a pizza before the flatbreads — and the product was such a bad investment Panera stopped selling it only two years after the pie debuted.

Originally created in 2006 as a way for Panera to offer customers an evening time meal, the Crispani was also a flatbread pizza. However, while the Crispani came in a variety of tasty-sounding flavors, like BBQ Chicken, Pepperoni, Roasted Wild Mushroom, Sweet Sausage and Roasted Peppers, Three Cheese, and Tomato and Fresh Basil, per Panera, the product had a lot of issues.

According to Baking Business, Panera originally stated it stopped producing its first pizza line due to the product being too much for the company to handle production wise. But there was actually more to the story. Although the chain first reported that the pizza was selling well, Nation's Restaurant News states that some of Panera's shareholders actually brought the company to court after claiming they had been "misled" by the brand concerning the Crispani's popularity. While Panera settled, the fast casual chain stated their shareholders' claim was false.

However, later on, Baking Business reported that Ron Shaich, the brand's chief executive officer, would go on to state the Crispani's failure had a lot to do with "a lack of marketing muscle." The Panera official noted that the brand didn't seem to be able to convince its fans that the chain known for its broccoli cheddar soup could be a good pizza stop.

So if Panera couldn't make the Crispani work, why has its flatbread pizza been such a success story? For starters, Restaurant Business Online reports Panera's flatbread line consists of a different recipe. According to Panera's Chief Food and Innovation Officer, Claes Petersson, unlike the Crispani, these newer pies are made of thicker dough. This means that the flatbreads stay warmer longer and are easier to reheat. Not to mention Panera's flatbreads have a shorter cooking time than its first pizza product.

Aside from being an overall easier item to produce, the flatbread pizzas were also well-marketed. Alongside advertising the flatbread line on social media platforms like Twitter, the brand also posted an interactive press release to its website where fans could read about then order a flatbread pizza of their choice. 

So while the Crispani may have failed, it at the very least paved the way for a better, tastier Panera pizza.