Bruegger's Timeline of Major Events

1610
Earliest reference of the bagel in a 1610 document that mentions beygls given as a
gift to women in childbirth. The document is not entirely clear about what a beygl is or if it has any relationship to the sweet Hungarian pastry, beigli.

1683
Bagel is invented by a Jewish baker in Vienna, Austria as a way of thanking the king of Poland for protecting the country from Turkish invaders.

300 years later…

February 1983
Founded by Nord Brue and Mike Dessell the first Bruegger’s bakery opens in Troy, New York in February. Two additional bakeries open in the New York market.

December 1983
Iowa bakeries open in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.

1984
Bakeries debut in Minnesota and North Carolina.

1985
Bruegger’s introduces Boston to its fresh bagels

1990
Bruegger’s is on the rise in New England with new locations in Connecticut, Western Mass. And Vermont

Mid 1990's
Bruegger’s starts franchising.

1995
Brueggie, the lovable baker mascot, is born

August 1995
The Herby Turkey is introduced and remains the most popular sandwich on the menu 12 years later.

June 1996
Bruegger’s purchased by Quality Dining for $123.1 million

October 1997
Less than one year later, Bruegger’s is sold back to original owners Nord Brue and Mike Dressell for $45.1 million

1998
Bacon, egg and cheese on a bagel, anyone? New egg sandwiches are hatched

September 2002
It’s hip to be square. The bagel is reinvented as Bruegger’s introduces the Softwich, which is a bagel shaped like a square!

August 2003
Bruegger’s is purchased by Sun Capital and James J. Greco who is named Chief Executive Officer

November 2003
Bruegger’s unveils new bakery design and menu. The bakery revealed its prototype store this week in five markets that included Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Avon, Conn., and Auburndale, Mass. New menu includes new sandwiches and salads.

November 2003
Gift cards now available

March 2004
Green Bagels join the Bruegger’s menu nationwide for annual St. Patrick’s Day
fund raiser with the international nonprofit, Feed the Children.

July 2004
Patriotic, Red, White & Blue bagels join the Bruegger’s menu nationwide for annual 4th of July fundraiser for national nonprofit, Operation Homefront, to support American troops and their families.

August 2004
Bruegger’s bakes the World’s Largest Bagel and earns a spot in the 2004 Guinness Book of World Records The mammoth bagel weighed in at 883 lbs!

September 2004
Bruegger’s partners with fellow Vermont-headquarter-company, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and new brews are made available at all Bruegger’s bakeries

March 2005
Whole wheat bagel, certified by the U.S. Whole Grains Council, joins the menu

April 2005
Bruegger’s continues to expand its healthful menu and introduces tossed-for-you salads

June 2005
Iced coffee debuts on Bruegger’s menu for summer months

October 2005
All of Bruegger’s bakery-cafe locations are renovated with new bakery design

Entrepreneur 2006 Franchise 500, number one in category

August 2006
Fairbanks, Alaska bakery opens, the first outside the contiguous U.S.

December 2006
Featured in QSR “Best in Drive Thru”

QSR 2006 Top 10 Under 300 Franchise

June 2007
Bruegger’s partners with professional snowmaker to create a real snowstorm in Florida on the first day of summer and publicize the start of iced coffee season

September 2007
Bruegger’s New Signature Soups are introduced as well as a Bagel Bowl, a delicious, edible soup bowl made with fresh bagel dough

December 2007
Bruegger’s ranks #8 in Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers and Shakers

January 2008
Marks 15th consecutive quarter of an increase in comparable store sales

February 2008
Bruegger’s celebrates its 25th Anniversary!

Bruegger's
Danielle Swift, Mason Onofrio Public Relations
(203) 393-1101 ext. 162
dswift@mason23.com