JERSEY CITY, NJ – Panera Bread has made the decision to remove its Charged Lemonade drinks from the menu following a series of lawsuits, including one from the family of a young woman who tragically passed away after consuming the beverage.

Although Panera officials did not directly attribute the discontinuation of the drink to the lawsuits, they stated that their menu was undergoing a revamp. According to sources, the Charged Lemonade drinks will soon be phased out at Panera locations.

The family of Sarah Katz, the 21-year-old woman from Jersey City who lost her life after drinking the highly caffeinated beverage, has filed a lawsuit against Panera. Their attorney, Elizabeth Crawford, emphasized the importance of bringing awareness to the potential dangers of the product to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Sarah Katz had a preexisting heart condition since childhood, which required her to carefully monitor her caffeine intake. The lawsuit alleges that the lemonade drink she consumed was not properly labeled and contained a dangerously high level of caffeine, equivalent to three energy drinks.

In response to the ongoing litigation, a spokesperson for Panera Bread mentioned that the company is focusing on enhancing its beverage offerings as part of a menu transformation based on customer feedback. Despite the removal of the Charged Lemonade drinks, the legal proceedings with the Katz family are still pending, with a trial date set for September.

Attorney Elizabeth Crawford expressed skepticism towards the timing of Panera’s decision to pull the drinks from the menu, noting the sequence of events that followed the filing of the lawsuit. The family’s primary objective in pursuing legal action was to raise awareness about the potential risks associated with the product and ensure the safety of other consumers.