Panera Bread Goes Pink for Moffitt Cancer Center
TAMPA, Florida — Panera’s Pink Ribbon Bagel® is turning 20! To celebrate this milestone, 23 participating Panera Bread bakery-cafes will donate 20 cents of the proceeds of each Signature Pink Ribbon Bagel sold throughout the month of October to Moffitt Cancer Center. For over a decade, the two organizations have teamed up locally to promote breast cancer awareness and raise money for Moffitt’s breast cancer research and mammography program.
“This partnership literally saves lives because the money raised funds outreach efforts to support at-risk women in Tampa Bay,” said Chantel Griffin-Stampfer, manager of M-POWER, Moffitt Program for Outreach, Wellness, Education and Resources. “Early detection is key to saving lives and we want to continue to remind women of that. We also want to continue linking uninsured women to no-cost mammograms. This partnership is one example of how our partners continually support Moffitt’s mission to reach the entire community.”
Additionally, all donations collected in Panera’s Operation Dough-Nation Community Breadboxes™ throughout the entire month of October will benefit Moffitt. Since the inception of the campaign, over $150,000 has been raised from the Panera Goes Pink promotion.
“We are thrilled to be celebrating the 20th anniversary of our Pink Ribbon Bagel and committed to raising money and awareness for the early detection of breast cancer,” said Kevin Ricci, owner of Covelli Family Limited Partnership, franchisee of Panera, LLC. “Every Pink Ribbon Bagel purchased will get us one step closer to helping Moffitt in their ongoing mission to aid in the prevention and cure of cancer.”
The Pink Ribbon Bagel was created by a Panera franchisee named Sue Stees who was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer at age 42. Today, Sue is a 33 year breast cancer survivor and continues to use her story to bring awareness to the cause. Flavored with select ingredients including cherry chips, dried cherries, honey, vanilla and brown sugar, the Cherry Vanilla Bagel is a seasonal staple made especially for autumn. Then, in October, its shape shifts into a ribbon in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Customers can visit any of the 23 participating Panera Bread bakery-cafes owned by Covelli Family Limited Partnership to purchase their Pink Ribbon Bagels. Additionally, orders can be placed in advance at www.panerabread.com for curbside, rapid pick-up or delivery. Pink Ribbon Bagel bulk ordering options include Bakers’ Dozens, Bagel Packs, ½ Dozen and Dozen and ½. When ordering online, simply choose your desired bulk bagel option and click on the customize button to include the desired amount of Pink Ribbon Bagels for your order.
About Covelli Enterprises/Covelli Family Limited Partnership
Covelli Family Limited Partnership (CFLP) is an entity of Covelli Enterprises, the largest franchisee of Panera Bread. The late Albert M. Covelli founded Covelli Enterprises 62 years ago and established CFLP in 1998. CFLP is owned by Covelli’s daughter and son-in-law, Annette & Gavin Ford; and grandson Kevin Ricci. Together, they operate 62 of the 300 Panera Bread locations encompassed under the Covelli umbrella which is ranked one of the top 10 restaurant franchisees in the country. CFLP employs close to 4,500 people in the Greater Tampa Bay & Orlando area. As a leader in the fast casual segment, they are known for setting consumer trends and elevating industry standards. In 2020, CFLP donated $8.4 million in unsold bread and bakery product to local food pantries and shelters through their Day-End Dough-Nation™ program. Additionally, the franchise supports local non-profit charities through their Operation Dough-Nation® formalized giving program consisting of Community Breadbox™ cash collections, in-kind donations, sponsorships and proceeds from cause-marketing campaigns. For six consecutive years, the company was a finalist in the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Corporate Philanthropy Awards receiving honors including the Judges Choice Award, 1st Place in the 501+ Employees Category and being named the overall Benefactor of the Year. Other accolades include being a Top 5 Category Winner in the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s “Best in the Biz” Reader’s Choice Awards five years in a row and also receiving recognition as one of the of top restaurant companies. In recent years, Kevin Ricci was named one of Tampa’s 10 Leading People who will play a distinct and crucial role in the city’s growth by TAMPA magazine. For more information about CFLP, visit paneraflorida.com. For more information about CFLP, visit paneraflorida.com. For more information about Panera, visit panerabread.com or find us on Twitter (@panerabread), Facebook (facebook.com/panerabread) or Instagram (@panerabread).
About Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 52 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt’s expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet® status, its highest distinction. With more than 7,500 team members, Moffitt has an economic impact in the state of $2.4 billion. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
