Dating back 13 years ago, Panera Bread started making their famous Breast Cancer bagels formed into the shape of a ribbon.

For 10 years, the breast cancer bagel has been a customer favorite, and it is one of the top selling bagels throughout the month of October.  The bagel is only sold during Breast Cancer Awareness month and is sold at every Panera Bread.  Included in the bagel to give it its fruit filled flavor are dried cherries, cherry chips, cranberries, vanilla, honey, and brown sugar, and the bagels are baked fresh every morning in each Panera Bread facility.  The proceeds from each bagel that is bought is contributed to breast cancer.

Panera Breads official website, www.panerabread.com, states that the Pink Ribbon Bagel is back this October for a limited time, twisted in a ribbon shape in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Panera works with communities to help raise money for such a worthy cause, and they have helped The Women’s Resource Center raise funds to help earn money for treatments.  In 2012, Panera sold over 1.5 million bagels and raised more than  $170,000.

The concept of the bagel began in 2001 when a breast cancer survivor was looking for ways to help support other women who were fighting the same disease.  The shape of the bagel represents hope for the women fighting breast cancer and is in the shape of the iconic ribbon.

“The Pink Ribbon Bagel has been a customer favorite for over a decade, in part because it’s a tasty way to add flavor to the day and because each bagel sold helps support the fight against an illness that touches so many,” said Panera Regional Vice President Robert MacEachern. “Panera Bread is proud to work with the communities we serve to help raise money for this worthy cause. In our market, we are pleased to support the cutting-edge research and programs of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.”

“The Pink Ribbon Bagel is an easy way for customers to contribute to innovative research that’s moving us closer to eradicating breast cancer,” said Ingrid Roberts, a Panera Bread franchisee. “We’re proud to work with the communities we serve and the Dr. Susan Love Foundation to raise money for such an important cause,” as quoted by a Antelope Valley Times reporter.