Panera Bread Collaborates With T-Pain for a Day of Merch

As more brands continue to integrate with the fashion world, nothing is left unturned as Panera Bread reminds us of the endless creativity driving these unconventional moments of brand merchandising. In celebration of Panera’s new Chef’s Chicken Sandwiches, the café chain teamed up with rapper and producer T-Pain and North American livestream shopping platform NTWRK for its first-ever Day of Craveable Drops—a day of releases featuring eight of the most sought-after products from creators tailored specifically to Panera brand. NTWRK tapped the rapper to host the day, which will air exclusively on the NTWRK app on May 4. The products range from art prints and apparel to collectibles and footwear, taking part in a curated assortment of some of the most hyped brands, including Nike and Puma. In addition to hosting, T-Pain collaborated with Panera to create the "Deliciously Luxe Drip Kit," a premium collection of cozy essentials. The set features a heavyweight French terry crewneck sweatshirt, athletic pants bearing T-Pain’s signature and custom "T-Pain x Panera" luxury headphones. The collaboration also includes a custom gold chalice, a nod to the brand’s recently launched Unlimited Sip Club, which made Panera the first national restaurant brand to offer an unlimited beverage subscription for all self-serve beverages. The 24 karat gold plated "T-Pain x Panera chalice" was designed by celebrity jeweler Greg Yuna and dropped exclusively on the NTWRK app on April 21 to one lucky winner. “I can’t wait to celebrate this new chicken sandwich from Panera with these exclusive drops and gold chalice on NTWRK,” T-Pain said in a statement. “The perfect pairing for the perfect meal.” Other Craveable Drops include a curated Taschen Book collection, PUMA x KidSuper Clothing Collection, NTWRK Batman Collection, New Era Hats and City Cluster Collection, Medicom Toy BE@RBRICKS collection, the “Footwear Episode” and finally DC + Carrots Collection. Fostering merch collaborations Despite the prevalence of loyalty programs in the food and beverage industries, Panera continues to find ways to optimize the trend with creator collaborations that promote patronage. In December, for instance, the brand partnered with comedian and creator Emily Zugay for a collection of "ugly" coffee cups connected to its reward program. High-profile celebrity partnerships have also been on the rise thanks to brands like McDonald's, Popeyes, Taco Bell and Dunkin' Donuts driving the trend—with associated merch often selling out in those cases. Although brands unveiling apparel and other merchandise is not new, the age of unboxing or showing off hauls on social media serve as more than enough encouragement for brands to get in on the hype. Brands such as Pizza Hut and Sunny D have both tapped into that trend with the help of nostalgic fans on social media. Why Every Brand Is Making Merchandise Right Now

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Panera Bread and T-Pain Gear Up for a Full Day of 'Craveable' Exclusive Merch Drops

From crewnecks to custom chalices, this collab is all about comfort

Natalie Venegas

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Natalie Venegas