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Panera Bread announced in a press release Thursday that Mark Shambura will become chief marketing officer. A veteran in the fast-casual restaurant space, Shambura leads Panera’s branding, digital, loyalty, product strategy and consumer analytics programs. He officially joined the company on July 29.
The marketer joins Panera from Papa John’s, where he served as CMO since May 2023. Papa John’s recently underwent a leadership change, with former Wendy’s boss Todd Penegor taking over as CEO last week.
Mark Shambura, the new CMO of Panera Bread
Courtesy of Panera Bread
When Papa John’s hired Shambura last year, he was praised for his “digital, analytics-driven approach.” During a brief stint at the pizza chain, Shambura revamped the brand’s signature “Better Ingredients, Better Pizza” messaging platform and focused on developing Papa John’s omnichannel capabilities. The executive also revamped Papa John’s agency roster, handing creative to The Martin Agency and media duties to Carat.
Shambura’s previous roles include a four-year stint as CMO at Mod Pizza and a stint as Executive Director at Chipotle, where he drove the burrito purveyor’s positioning under the motto “Real Ingredients.”
“Mark brings an impressive background in building brands and leading marketing teams for fast-casual restaurants, and we are excited to welcome him to Panera Bread,” Panera CEO José Alberto Dueñas said in a statement about the hire. “As Panera continues to evolve our brand while listening to our guests, Mark’s extensive experience and skills will help fuel our growth as a brand that serves great food that you feel good about eating.”
Panera’s advertising efforts are aimed at attracting younger diners, including through more aggressive marketing on TikTok. An avocado toast and iced coffee dish that launched late last month is explicitly aimed at millennials, referencing products closely associated with that generation’s cultural identity. Panera, which is planning an IPO, also launched its biggest menu overhaul to date earlier this year, with more than 20 updates and nine new dishes.
The commercial for sandwiches, soups and bread bowls has also been hit by bad PR this year. In May, the company was forced to discontinue a line of highly caffeinated drinks called Charged Sips, which have been linked to wrongful death lawsuits in the U.S. Reuters reported in March that Panera had relaxed some of its standards for animal welfare and clean ingredients – a longtime focus of the company – ahead of its expected IPO.
