ST. LOUIS, Miss. (Diya TV) — Panera Bread has named Santhosh Kumar as Chief Information Officer. Kumar will be reporting to Interim CEO Paul Carbone and will be responsible for driving technology development, integration, and deployment across over 2,200 Panera cafes.
Kumar comes with deep experience in retail technology and digital transformation. Before he joined Panera, he was Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI), where he directed warehouse transformation and cloud modernization efforts that drove material operational efficiencies and cost savings. Before UNFI, Kumar worked for almost 21 years at Dunkin’ Brands, including as Senior Vice President of IT, where he oversaw global retail and digital innovation projects, including the implementation of new point-of-sale and back-office systems in U.S. restaurants and the creation and launch of Dunkin’s loyalty program.
Panera Bread has a rich history as a restaurant technology leader,” said Kumar. “I am excited to be part of an already exceptional team and to continue Panera’s relentless pursuit of delivering the most seamless and efficient experience for our team members and guests.
Interim CEO Paul Carbone was enthusiastic regarding Kumar’s hiring, saying, “As the technology landscape keeps evolving, Santhosh possesses the right balance of strategic technology knowledge, industry know-how, and demonstrated ability to assemble high-performing teams that will propel Panera’s sustained success.”
Panera Bread has 2,216 company-owned and franchised cafes, all in the Panera Bread and Saint Louis Bread Co. names spread across 48 states, Washington D.C., and Ontario, Canada.
