founder Ken Rosenthal at home with his wife ... FILE PHOTO The founder of Panera Bread, locally known as St. Louis Bread Co., Kenneth Rosenthal, died Friday. He was 81. Rosenthal, a St.

By Richard Sandomir Ken Rosenthal, who opened a bakery cafe in the St. Louis area, with sourdough bread as its star, and built it into a small chain that would become Panera Bread, died on Feb.

“It's with great sadness that I share that Ken Rosenthal, the founder of St. Louis Bread Company, passed away on Friday,” an internal memo obtained by PEOPLE read. The message to staff also ...

ST. LOUIS – Kenneth “Ken” Rosenthal, the founder of Panera Bread, passed away on Friday at the age of 81. Rosenthal passed peacefully at his home surrounded by his family. Rosenthal was a ...

Ken Rosenthal, founder of the St. Louis Bread Company—later known as Panera Bread—passed away on February 14, 2025, at age 81. His family confirmed his death in an obituary, noting he was ...

Founder of Panera Bread Ken Rosenthal passed away on Friday at the age of 81. He is survived by his wife and their four children.

Panera Bread founder Ken Rosenthal passed away on Friday at the ... In 1987, Rosenthal started Panera Bread’s precursor, the St. Louis Bread Company. The small bakery used a sourdough starter ...

ST. LOUIS — In mid-1980s, on a trip to visit his brother in San Francisco, Ken Rosenthal visited a bakery, teeming with sourdough. On that same trip, he encountered other establishments.

ST. LOUIS — In mid-1980s, on a trip to visit his brother in San Francisco, Ken Rosenthal visited a bakery, teeming with sourdough. On that same trip, he encountered other establishments. Cozy eateries ...