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Panera Bread appoints former Kraft Heinz president Eduardo Luz as chief brand and concept officerPanera Bread appoints former Kraft Heinz president Eduardo Luz as chief brand and concept officer

Eduardo Luz started at fast-casual Panera less than a year after he became CEO of health supplement company, 8Greens

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

May 27, 2020

1 Min Read
panera bread appoints Eduardo Luz
Panera Bread just appointed Luz this month.Panera Bread

Joanna Fantozzi

Panera Bread has appointed Eduardo Luz — former CEO of health supplement brand 8Greens and former Kraft Heinz vice president — as the company’s new chief brand and concept officer. According to his LinkedIn page, Luz began working at the JAB Holding company in May, less than one year after he was named CEO of 8Greens, a health company and producer of dietary supplements.

“The entire Panera family is excited to welcome Eduardo Luz as our new Chief Brand and Concept Officer,” Panera CEO Niren Chaudhary said in a statement. “Eduardo is a highly experienced and creative business leader with a proven track record of success with building global brands. We look forward to his innovative and action-oriented brand leadership that will help us take Panera into the future.”

EL_headshot.jpgPrior to being named CEO of 8Greens, Luz worked for Kraft Heinz as both in multiple roles, including executive vice president, president, and chief marketing officer for six years, with an additional five years of experience as a vice president at Anheuser-Busch InBev.

“I have been a long-time admirer of the Panera brand—it’s a huge positive force for the food industry, from its mission to its leadership in clean food and commitment to making great food accessible to all,” Eduardo Luz said in a statement. “I’m excited to join the team and leverage the brand’s amazing legacy to take it to new highs, adding further excitement and energy to our brand and concept.”

Panera chief marketing officer and senior vice president Chris Hollander will report to Luz.

Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected] 

Follow her on Twitter: @joannafantozzi

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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