Here's How a Lemonade Was So Charged It's Been Discontinued

Stacey Leasca

May 8, 2024 at 12:20 p.m.·3 min read

The move follows three separate lawsuits that claim the drink caused health complications — and two deaths.

It's official: Panera is dropping the controversial Charged Lemonade from its menus.

In 2022, Panera launched its Charged Lemonades, which, at the time, it said was made with "plant-based caffeine" and came in three flavors: Strawberry Lemon Mint, Fuji Apple Cranberry, and Mango Yuzu Citrus. The lemonade was available in a 20-ounce serving, which Panera said came with the "same amount of caffeine" as a Panera 20-ounce Dark Roast coffee. However, following three separate lawsuits about the lineup, the brand is finally phasing out the drinks.

As CNN explained, the lawsuits each claim the high levels of caffeine available in the drinks led to the deaths of two customers and caused ongoing health complications for another.

Food & Wine previously reported on one of the lawsuits involving the family of 21-year-old college student Sarah Katz. Katz, who had a congenital heart condition, consumed Panera's Charged Lemonade in the hours before she suffered cardiac arrest and later died at the hospital. According to the lawsuit, Katz was unaware the drink contained caffeine. "[Katz] consumed the Panera Charged Lemonade, reasonably confident it was a traditional lemonade and/or electrolyte sports drink containing a reasonable amount of caffeine safe for her to drink," the lawsuit read.

"She was very, very vigilant about what she needed to do to keep herself safe," Victoria Rose Conroy, a friend of Katz', told NBC last fall. "I guarantee if Sarah had known how much caffeine this was, she never would have touched it with a 10-foot pole."

However, despite her death, Panera kept the lemonade on the menu, which one expert shared with CNN, may be because pulling it off could be seen as an admission of guilt.

<p>Panera</p> Panera is finally phasing out its Charged Lemonade lineup following three separate lawsuits that claim the the drinks led to the deaths of two customers and caused ongoing health complications for another. — Panera
Panera is finally phasing out its Charged Lemonade lineup following three separate lawsuits that claim the the drinks led to the deaths of two customers and caused ongoing health complications for another.

"Very often in lawsuits, there is a knee-jerk reaction among lawyers to do as little as possible publicly out of some vague fear that you are exposing yourself to additional liability," crisis PR expert James Haggerty noted to CNN.

A spokesperson for Panera told NBC that new drinks will replace the Charged Lemonades, including both low-sugar and low-caffeine options, like the blueberry lavender lemonade. In February, F&W additionally reported on Panera's largest-ever menu overhaul, which included the new drinks.

"We are getting back to Panera at its best with these menu updates that are centered completely on our guests and what they love about us," Alicia Mowder, SVP of product strategy and insights at Panera, shared with F&W at the time. "We've listened to thousands of guests on our path to unveiling more than 20 new or enhanced menu items and are thrilled to bring these products to Panera bakery-cafes nationwide."

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Read the original article on Food & Wine.

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