Are Americans ready for sprouted-spelt bagels?
Panera Bread Co. (PNRA) thinks so. After a successful test, the St. Louis-based chain will introduce a sprouted-grain bagel made with rye, spelt and oat groats to its U.S. cafes in May.
The move is part of a broader push by national restaurant chains to seek alternatives to white flour — and even wheat — which aren’t seen as healthy enough by some diners. Panera, Au Bon Pain and Olive Garden (DRI) are testing a range of grains and traditional-carbohydrate substitutes. The challenge is getting the flavor right and attracting the nutrition-conscious without scaring away customers with new ingredients and lingo.
“With sprouted grain, anybody who is 45 or older is going to raise an eyebrow and say, ‘Hey, you’re going hippie on us,’” Tom Gumpel, the head baker at Panera, said in a phone interview.
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