Panera Bread will no longer sell its "charged lemonade" — a caffeinated drink at the center of two wrongful death lawsuits against the company — in a move the plaintiffs' attorney says "will save lives."

The lawsuits allege that Panera failed to accurately advertise its charged lemonade as an energy drink, putting consumers at risk, and that the company knew the product could cause serious harm.

"We strongly support Panera's most recent decision to remove charged lemonade from its menu entirely; a decision we know will save lives," Elizabeth Crawford, the attorney involved in the cases, said in a statement.

Panera would not comment on the change. In a statement, spokeswoman Sinead Conlon said that stores will debut new beverages, including low-sugar and low-caffeine options, over the next two weeks in response to customers' changing tastes.

The family of Sarah Katz filed a lawsuit last October, alleging the death of the 21-year-old in 2022 was a result of the charged lemonade.

Panera, headquartered in Fenton, Missouri, has previously said Katz's injuries and death were the result of a pre-existing heart condition and that the University of Pennsylvania student assumed the risk of her activities. The case is set to go to trial on Sept. 12.

A 30-ounce cup of Panera's Mango Yuzu Citrus Charged Lemonade has about 390 milligrams of caffeine, while a 20-ounce cup of Panera dark roast coffee has about 268 milligrams of caffeine, the company said. Panera put the drinks behind the counter, out of customers' reach, after the first lawsuit.

In December, the family of 46-year-old Dennis Brown filed suit, claiming the Florida resident consumed the lemonade in the days before his fatal cardiac arrest.

And a third lawsuit filed this year alleges the drink is responsible for the permanent heart health issues of Rhode Island woman Lauren Skerritt, who was an athlete.

Crawford, the attorney, said the lawsuits are intended to not only seek justice for the families, but also to warn the public about Panera's drink.

"Though Panera's decision to pull this product will not revive Sarah Katz or Dennis Brown, nor will it return Lauren Skerritt to her previous way of life, it will help prevent future tragedies," Crawford said.

Conlon, of Panera, said the chain is introducing new beverages such as blueberry lavender lemonade, pomegranate hibiscus tea, citrus punch and a tropical green smoothie.

"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," Conlon said.

The additions come a month after Panera underwent its "largest menu transformation ever," focusing on affordable sandwiches and salads.

New items include four sandwiches, four salads and bacon macaroni and cheese. About a dozen menu items have been revamped.

Panera, still known in the region as St. Louis Bread Co., started in 1987 with a bakery in Kirkwood. Since then, the company has grown to more than 2,100 locations in North America and is privately held by JAB Holding Co.

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