The company sold its U.S. ice cream brands for $4 billion to an existing joint venture with a private equity firm.
The company says its first earnings report since going public demonstrates "mainstream consumers' desire for plant-based meat products."
The Swiss food company plunks down $500 million for a majority stake in Oakland, Calif.-based coffee roaster Blue Bottle.
It's the second big financial move in less than a week in the home-delivery meals niche.
With the $7.5 billion deal for Panera, the investment firm has now spent more than $40 billion on acquiring coffee and breakfast concepts.
"This is a volatile and still somewhat deflationary environment," the food company's new chief executive tells reporters.
Report finds instances of forced labor and human trafficking among food company's suppliers in Thailand.
