PANERA SUES PAPA JOHN’S OVER TRADE SECRETS

St. Louis — The restaurant chain Panera alleges in a lawsuit that a former executive who left to go to work for pizza chain Papa John’s took trade secrets with him.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in St. Louis names both former Panera executive Michael Nettles and Louisville, Ky.-based Papa John’s International.

The lawsuit says Nettles worked for four years as a vice president in Panera’s information technology department, with access to highly sensitive confidential and proprietary information and trade secrets. He began work for Papa John’s last week. Panera says Nettles’ new position violates a confidentiality and non-compete agreement.