Panera Bread's Charged Lemonade Saga Shows Dark Side of Energy Drinks

Panera Bread is phasing out the highly caffeinated Charged Lemonade that has been linked to at least two death lawsuits.

Riddled in controversy since the first lawsuit was filed in October, the beverages will no longer be sold within the coming weeks at the food chain's more than 2,000 restaurants.

Panera announced a "new era" with 20 new and enhanced menu items on April 16.

"We are excited to continue the success of our recent menu transformation, which began with our core options of sandwiches and salads," a Panera spokesperson said in a statement to Newsweek. "We listened to more than 30,000 guests about what they wanted from Panera, and are focusing next on the broad array of beverages we know our guests desire – ranging from exciting, on-trend flavors, to low sugar and low-caffeine options. Our enhanced beverage portfolio, including new Blueberry Lavender Lemonade, Pomegranate Hibiscus Tea, Citrus Punch and a Tropical Green Smoothie will reinforce our mission of delivering what our guests want most – amazing taste, quality ingredients and value."

On the Panera website, the Fuji apple cranberry flavor of the Charged Lemonade is already "retired."

What are Charged Lemonades?

First introduced in 2022, Panera advertised the Charged Lemonade as "plant-based and clean with as much caffeine as our dark roast coffee."

In the description on the company's website for the charged lemonades now, Panera has noted it is "NOT RECOMMENDED FOR children, people sensitive to caffeine, pregnant or nursing women."

The lawsuits suggest that a large, 30-fluid-ounce Charged Lemonade has more caffeine in total than any Panera dark roast coffee size.

Panera's updated nutrition information highlights that the Charged Lemonades range from 155 milligrams of caffeine for a regular strawberry lemon mint Charged Lemonade to 302 milligrams of caffeine for a blood orange Charged Splash.

An 8.4 ounce can of Red Bull Energy Drink contains 80 milligrams of caffeine. A 16 ounce can of Monster Energy has 160 milligrams.

Healthy adults can safely consume 400 milligrams of caffeine each day, according to the Food and Drug Administration. This equates to about four to five cups of coffee.

The Panera website asks customers now to "consume in moderation," but it still insists the drinks are "naturally flavored and plant based."

Charged Lemonades at center of lawsuits

The drinks have sparked controversy and have been the center of multiple lawsuits, showing the secretiveness behind what the drinks really contain.

In October, the family of 21-year-old Sarah Katz filed a lawsuit after the University of Pennsylvania student with a heart condition died after drinking a Charged Lemonade. Katz's mother has said her daughter avoided energy drinks due to her doctors' recommendations because of her heart condition. Katz went into cardiac arrest hours after buying a Charged Lemonade, according to the lawsuit.

Dennis Brown's family also filed a lawsuit in December. The Florida man had a chromosomal deficiency disorder and also died after drinking three Charged Lemonades. He suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on his way home from a local Panera. The lawsuit states that because of Brown's high blood pressure he did not drink energy drinks.

At the time of Brown's death the Charged Lemonades were offered "side-by-side with all of the store's non-caffeinated and/or less caffeinated drinks," according to the lawsuit. It was a part of the self-serve dispensers.

Following the second suit, Panera said in a statement that it believed the customers' "unfortunate passing was not caused by one of the company's products."

In January, the drinks were removed from the self-serve fountains.

Lauren Skerritt claimed the drink left her with "permanent cardiac injuries." The 28-year-old Rhode Island occupational therapist did not have any underlying health conditions. She regularly competed in obstacle course races and now requires daily medication. Her heart problems have reduced her ability to work, exercise and socialize, according to the lawsuit filed in January.

This is not the first time, either, that a company has sent people to the hospital for energy drinks.

The original Four Loko, an alcoholic energy drink, sent multiple people to the emergency department with its 156 milligrams of caffeine in a 23.5-ounce can. The company has since removed caffeine from the drink.