The Chicken Souvlaki Story: From Anastasia’s Kitchen to Fortinos Shelves

You can trace every skewer of Glacial Treasure Chicken Souvlaki back to a specific kitchen in Greece.

Anastasia Dikeos grew up making souvlaki the way her mother and grandmother made it. Olive oil. Fresh lemon juice. Garlic. Oregano. Salt and pepper. Not a recipe from a book — a recipe from decades of watching, tasting, and eventually doing. When she and Kostas came to Canada and eventually founded D&D Poultry over thirty years ago, that recipe came with them. And it’s the same recipe that’s now marinating every Chicken Souvlaki skewer in the Glacial Treasure packages arriving at Fortinos.

Why the Recipe Never Changed

When D&D Poultry started producing chicken souvlaki commercially, we could have modified the recipe for scale — cheaper ingredients, more shelf-stable substitutes, faster processes. That’s what most manufacturers do. We didn’t. Anastasia’s recipe was the whole point. If we changed it, we weren’t selling her souvlaki anymore. We were selling a compromise.

Thirty years later, that decision looks like the right one. Ask any Greek customer at our Cash & Carry why they come to us for souvlaki. The answer is always the same: it tastes like home.

What Makes It Different From What’s Already on the Shelf

The souvlaki that has historically been available in Ontario grocery stores has usually fallen into one of two categories. The cheap version — over-marinated, over-salted, with visible additives. Or the premium version, often imported, at a price point that made it a special-occasion purchase rather than a weeknight one.

Glacial Treasure Chicken Souvlaki is a third option. Made in Ontario. Family recipe. Priced for real families. Available at Fortinos. That’s the pitch, and it’s exactly what’s on the shelf.

What to Do With It

Grill four to five minutes per side over medium-high heat. Rest for three minutes before serving. Serve with pita, tomato, red onion, and a spoonful of tzatziki — ideally our homemade version made from Anastasia’s original recipe, available at our Cash & Carry. The whole meal takes under twenty minutes and tastes like something you’d order at a good Greek restaurant.