Panera takes steps toward 'clean' ingredients

Clean eating is about to get a bit easier.

Previously, Panera Bread pledged to use more “clean” ingredients – such as reducing the use of antibiotics and the confinement of animals in its supply chain – in its restaurants and now, it’s making good.  

The company said in 2014, 91 percent of its pork supply received no antibiotics, was fed a vegetarian diet and was sourced from farms where pregnant sows were not caged. Panera expect its entire 8 million pound usage to meet the same standards in 2015, according to the St. Louis Business Journal.

The St. Louis-based company also said 80 percent of its beef served in 2014 was grass-fed. And 18 percent of the more than 70 million eggs served at Panera restaurants came from cage-free hens.

According to the St. Louis Business Journal, Panera plans to remove all artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners and preservatives by 2016.

Read more from the St. Louis Business Journal.