Kontos Foods was founded 1987 in Paterson, N.J., by Evripides (Evris) Kontos and his son Steve, to manufacture the popular flatbread of the Mediterranean cultures, but they knew they needed a unique Point-of-Difference to be successful.
The most ancient of breads, flatbread has been used as an eating utensil in some cultures for thousands of years, and as a wrap to hold meats and vegetables for food “on the go,” in others. While other flatbread bakers were utilizing sheeters to roll out the dough and then die-cut the individual breads, Kontos Foods hand-stretches each loaf, producing a bread that is more fluffy, and extremely flexible.
The introduction of the hand-stretched Kontos Pocket-Less Pita® was so successful that Kontos Foods began to expand production to include Greek “Gyro” Bread, Asian Nans, Paninis, and other flavored flatbreads. The flatbread line continues to grow with varieties such as our Pan Plano series inspired by the flavors of Mexico, our Cocktail Flatbread – two-inch disks perfect for canapés and hors d’ oeuvres – and our Pizza Parlor Crusts made with 100% Olive Oil.
Today, the Kontos Flatbread product line has expanded to approx. 50 varieties, and is widely distributed to restaurants, hotels, country clubs, business and industry cafeterias, and to retail specialty food stores and supermarkets all over the world.
The company also produces several types of Fillo dough, Kataifi dough and ready-made products using Fillo and Kataifi such as Baklava, Spanakopita, Tyropita, and a wide variety of freshly baked pastries.
This is the Kontos’ family’s second baked goods company. In 1968, Evripides Kontos founded Apollo Fillo, a Fillo dough production company in Dumont, N.J.., using the hand-stretching technique he learned as a young man in Cyprus. In 1971, the company designed the first machine that would mass-produce Fillo dough, emulating the hand-stretching process that produced high quality paper-thin dough while maintaining its flexibility and durability. The mechanized production improved availability and price, which accelerated the introduction of Fillo dough to professional and amateur chefs, as well as home bakers, and Apollo Fillo quickly became available in supermarkets across the country.
Realizing there was an untapped demand for ready-made Fillo products, Apollo launched a line of Greek Fillo products such as Baklava, Spanakopita and Tyropita. The increased popularity of Fillo dough attracted the attention of major food manufacturers, and in 1984 Apollo Fillo was sold to The Pillsbury Company.
In business, Evripides Kontos is still partnered with his son, Steve. They are joined by several family members who also work at Kontos Foods. In life, Evris is partnered with his wife of over 50 years, Evangelia. They have three children, Steve, Kathy, and Dino, who have blessed them with seven grandchildren.