[6][7] Shaich is the current chairman and lead investor in Act III's portfolio companies – Cava, Tatte Bakery & Café, Life Alive, and Level99.

[8][9] During his career, Shaich was a public company CEO for 27 years, and was involved in taking three different restaurant brands public—Au Bon Pain, Panera, and Cava.

[14] He was awarded Clark University's highest honor, an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree, on May 18, 2014, when he delivered the 110th Commencement Address.

[14][16] Shortly thereafter, Shaich added fresh croissants and baguettes to the Cookie Jar menu to attract the lunch crowd.

[18] Au Bon Pain grew rapidly as Shaich and Kane took it public in 1991 and by 1993, the company had grown to 250 stores, primarily in high density urban markets in the Northeast.

[25] As consumers sought healthier options, Shaich evolved Panera's menu to include antibiotic-free and trans fat-free ingredients, as well as whole-grain breads with fewer grams of carbohydrates per slice.

[29] By 2005, Shaich grew total sales of Panera Bread to $2 billion with profits of $81.1 million and a stock price of $73.56.

[32] Shaich's goal was to substantially contribute to the community at the height of the recession by supporting those who were struggling with food insecurity and financial hardships.

[45] In 2018, Shaich founded Act III Holdings LLC, an evergreen investment vehicle, with $250 million of his and his partners money.

As of 2023, Act III has a portfolio valued in excess of $1 billion and invests in consumer-facing restaurant and entertainment concepts that can dominate a niche in the marketplace.

[7][47] As part of the acquisition, Shaich became chair of the combined company and Act III is among Cava's lead investors with 10% of the equity.

[6] Other notable investments from Shaich's Act III portfolio include Tatte Bakery & Café, Life Alive—a place to eat positive, and Level99—live-action, challenge-based entertainment, craft beverages and farm-to-table dining.