Panera Bread has decided to discontinue their line of caffeinated “Charged Lemonade” beverages following multiple lawsuits blaming the drink for health issues and wrongful deaths. The lawsuits claimed that the beverages contained high levels of caffeine, with some large 30-ounce versions reportedly containing up to 390mg of caffeine, well above the FDA’s recommended maximum daily intake of 400mg. The company has not specified when the Charged Lemonade beverages will no longer be available in stores, but they are focusing on expanding their beverage offerings based on customer feedback.
In response to the discontinuation of Charged Lemonade, Panera Bread is introducing new beverages to their menu such as Blueberry Lavender Lemonade, Pomegranate Hibiscus Tea, Citrus Punch, and a Tropical Green Smoothie. These new options are aimed at meeting customers’ desires for exciting flavors, as well as low sugar and low caffeine options. The company aims to deliver amazing taste, quality ingredients, and value to its customers with their enhanced beverage portfolio. Panera Bread’s recent menu transformation has been informed by feedback from over 30,000 guests, and they plan to continue listening to their customers in order to meet their needs and preferences.
One lawsuit filed against Panera Bread by the family of Sarah Katz, a 21-year-old student at the University of Pennsylvania, alleged that the Charged Lemonade beverage contributed to her death by aggravating a pre-existing cardiac issue. Another lawsuit was filed by the family of Dennis Brown, a 46-year-old Florida man who was a member of Panera’s “Sip Club” and allegedly drank the lemonade for six days before dying while walking home from dinner at a Panera location. A third lawsuit involved 28-year-old Lauren Skerritt, who experienced a range of symptoms including brain fog, body shakes, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and difficulty thinking after consuming the beverage.
Panera Bread has faced a series of legal challenges related to their Charged Lemonade beverages, with multiple lawsuits alleging health issues and wrongful deaths caused by the high caffeine content in the drinks. As a result, the company has made the decision to discontinue the offering and focus on expanding their beverage options to meet customer demands for a variety of flavors and lower caffeine alternatives. Despite the controversy surrounding the Charged Lemonade beverages, Panera remains committed to delivering quality ingredients, amazing taste, and value to their customers through their menu transformation and ongoing commitment to customer feedback.
The decision to discontinue Panera Bread’s Charged Lemonade beverages comes in the wake of multiple lawsuits claiming health issues and deaths caused by the high caffeine content in the drinks. The lawsuits have alleged that the beverages contained significantly more caffeine than the FDA’s recommended daily intake limit of 400mg, with some large versions reportedly containing up to 390mg of caffeine. Panera Bread has not stated when the Charged Lemonade beverages will no longer be available in stores, but they are focusing on expanding their beverage offerings based on customer feedback and preferences to meet the desires of their guests for exciting flavors and lower caffeine options.