Panera’s production and distribution strategy was to use economies of scale and centralize operations for the dough making process. There were 17 regional fresh dough facilities to service the 1,027 Panera bakery-café locations. By controlling the process at central locations Panera was able to ensure consistent quality and dough making efficiency. Panera’s production strategy supports the overall strategic intent of being better than the guy across the street and ensures quality to keep customers coming back. Because Panera’s production strategy supported the company’s overarching strategic goals, we concluded that the strategy was working well and was a strength for Panera.