Bakery Cafes Expanding in Florida

ORLANDO-The soup-and-sandwich concept of successful national fast-bakery firms such as Panera Bread Co. of Richmond Heights, MO is triggering expansion plans totaling an estimated 220,000 sf in metro Orlando and throughout Florida from competitors Atlanta Bread Co. of Smyrna, GA and Jason’s Deli of Addison, TX. The expansions are scheduled over the next five years.

The company’s Web sites confirm Atlanta Bread plans to add a third location in July at the MetroWest community in southwest Orlando. Atlanta Bread has existing locations at the mixed-use communities of Hunter’s Creek and Waterford Lakes.

Company officials couldn’t be reached at GlobeSt.com’s publication deadline to learn development costs and size of the projects. But area retail brokers familiar with the on-site bakery and sandwich operations tell GlobeSt.com the Atlanta Bread locations will be about 7,000 sf each or a total 210,000 sf for all 30 outlets and about 70,000 sf total in the Orlando area.