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How hand-trimmed beef and chicken drive operator profitability.

Authentic, hand-trimmed steak and chicken remain essential in kitchens because they solve real problems that operators face daily. Anyone who has cooked through a dinner rush knows how thin the margin for error becomes. One overly fatty piece of beef can slow a cook down. One inconsistent yield can throw off food cost. One portion that cooks unevenly can cross up timing on the grill. Philly's Best Steak Co. understands those pressures because the company came from the kitchen, not the conference room, and that origin still drives how they think about quality today.

Zafeiris Akranis, President of Philly's Best Steak Co., grew up inside the family's restaurants and production facility. As he explained, his family's journey shaped everything the company now stands for. "My parents are immigrants. They came here with very little with the goal of starting something. They wanted to own their own business,, Akranis said. "Dad and mom both worked for restaurants in the early 80s, ended up buying the restaurant from one of the owners they worked for, and one restaurant turned into two to three. That was the life they thought they wanted because that's what Greeks did back then. But they realized they were becoming slaves to the industry, and they were always looking for other opportunities."

Part of that opportunity came from trimming and slicing their own ribeyes and sirloins for their restaurants. When they realized other operators were struggling with the same issues, they explored the idea of producing steak for foodservice. "They learned a little bit about how it's done, how food processing works. They rented a space three thousand square feet down here in Yeadon," he said. "Fast forward today, we're over one hundred thousand square feet, three hundred employees, second generation, a lot of passion. But at its core was the key promise. The same food Monday through Friday, Monday through the weekend. No excuses."

That promise is why Philly's Best still hand trims even as the business expands worldwide. Operators do not have time to fight gristle or guess at yields. Akranis added, "From day one, they believed in craftsmanship and passion and honesty. And that's the core values that got us where we are today." The business has grown significantly in recent years, but the family refused to compromise on quality. "We have had huge growth over the last few years, but never compromised on our quality," Akranis said. "If there's one thing our customers should expect from us, it's that we bring you Philly's Best and nothing less."

That mindset set the stage for the company's recent rebrand. After the transition from first generation to second, the team knew they needed a clearer, stronger voice that reflected their identity. Akranis noted, "The rebrand was really our claim in the sand. Operators always told us they loved our products, but they didn't always know our story. The rebrand allowed us to bring our identity forward and make it unmistakably clear who we are. It was the new chapter for Philly's Best."

As the brand sharpened its message, the company also landed one of the most influential partnerships in its history: becoming the Preferred Steak of the Philadelphia Phillies. The affiliation quickly became a credibility booster that opened doors across the country. Akranis said, "The Phillies partnership is out badge of credibility. It validates everything we say and everything we stand for. When operators outside our region see that the hometown team chose us, it becomes a national calling card. They know we're the real thing, and it creates immediate recognition whether we're talking to someone in California, Texas, Chicago, or anywhere else."

He continued, "We modernized our logo and website, but the messaging was always there. We just brought it to the front. Everything we did was about reflecting our core values: craftsmanship, no nonsense, straight talk, and brotherly love."

Part of what equipped Akranis to lead that new chapter was his childhood inside the business. "From a young age, I got the opportunity to build things with my father," he said. "I was there summers doing plumbing, electrical, drywall, welding, repairing equipment. You name it, I did it. And the love he had for the business rubbed off on me. When it came time to choose a career, I couldn't think of doing anything else."

That hands-on upbringing shaped Philly's Best's operator-first approach. "We grew up in kitchens," Akranis detailed. "We didn't start out in food processing. We know what it's like to work on a Friday when the ticket board is full. When we develop recipes, we develop them with operators in mind and the conditions they're dealing with."

That versatility is especially true as operators push into global flavors. Akranis outlined how Philly's Best proteins give chefs a platform to build their own concepts. "What I'll tell you is Philly's Best makes sliced, portioned, trimmed, packaged, frozen fresh beef and chicken products that can be used for any culture, any kitchen," he said. "We bring, whether it's Cajun, Gogi, Korean, sa vory Asian, whatever. Operators want a blank canvas. Our products let them create anything across the full spectrum of global flavors."

Hand trimming plays a big role in that. "Before companies like us existed, folks were buying ribeyes and trimming them in-house. You're going to have gristle. Even the best cuts have something," he said. "What we do is take the product, hand trim every piece to our spec, form it so it's consistent, slice it so it's portion controlled, and make it ready to go. When operators throw it on the grill, there's nothing extra they need to do besides cook it right and serve it."

That focus on reducing labor, increasing consistency, and improving yield is also why Philly's Best encourages operators to build menu strategies around high-quality products. Consistent protein becomes the backbone for signature items, higher checks, and fewer execution risks. Akranis said, "The most important thing is consistency. We don't have to be the best at everything, but we have to be the most consistent. That's what being the best means. It means we're reliable."

As Philly's Best grows nationally and internationally, distributor partnerships remain central to their approach. Akranis continued, "Our first inline customer is the distributor. We strongly believe in relationships. The most important thing my father taught me is don't compromise your relationships. Our foundation needs to be strong not just today but for the next hundred years."

That philosophy continues with the addition of industry veteran Steven Folenius as Senior Vice President of Sales. Akranis explained, "Steven brings extensive experience and a corporate background that can work in an entrepreneurial environment. The key components I look for in any leader are emotional intelligence, desire to win, and sense of urgency. These are the things I don't compromise on because they translate to success for us and our operators."

But despite the growth, the heart of the company remains simple. Real kitchens. Real craftsmanship. Real people who know the pressures operators face every day. Akranis concluded, "Once customers taste it, ninety-nine percent of the time they realize why we're Philly's Best."

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Restaurants, foodservice operations, and distributors looking to upgrade their menus or source higher-quality beef and chicken can reach the team, request samples, and explore solutions directly at PhillysBestSteak.com.

From Total Food Service, January 2026 issue.