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Little Apple Brewing Company Honored As State's Best Beef Restaurant

Little Apple Brewing Company awarded KBC. "Beef Backer" of the year. Pictured above are Jan and Jack Riley, co-owners; Galen and Lori Fink, co-owners; Sharla Stewart, K.B.C.; Russ and Kelly Loub, managers; Nancy and Paul Miller, co-owners.

(Topeka) – Little Apple Brewing Company has been named winner of the 2000 Beef Backer Award by the Kansas Beef Council (KBC). According to KBC officials, the Manhattan restaurant was selected for its superior leadership, dedication and commitment to menuing and merchandising beef.

Since opening in 1995, Little Apple has made incredible strides in sales volume and reputation due to reliance on high-quality and carefully prepared beef entrees. This hard work has paid off and moved them from the1996 honorable mention winner in the Beef Backer Awards program to the 2000 overall winner.

Little Apple features Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) on the menu. The staff and management’s dedication to beef is most apparent, as beef is present in virtually every category on the menu. The wide variety of menu options include Grilled Sirloin Pizzetta; Mediterranean Steak Salad; Philly Steak Sandwich; a variety of mouthwatering burgers; and CAB® porterhouse, ribeye, KC strip, filet and top sirloin. The only menu category void of beef is the dessert lineup.

“The number of beef items sold in our restaurant leads me to believe that despite the higher price associated with high-quality beef products, customers are making a distinction in the value to price relationship. Customers are willing to pay more for a satisfying beef entrée,” said Little Apple Brewing Company General Manager and Co-Owner Russ Loub. “In every type of advertising we do (radio, print, television, billboard), ‘great beef/great steaks’ is our primary message,” added Loub.

“The beef industry’s goal of providing the consumer a great eating experience every time is accomplished by Little Apple Brewing Company. As cattle producers, we are proud of how our product is presented to the public by this outstanding restaurant,” said Kansas Beef Council Executive Committee Chairman Ron Estes of Atchison. “Little Apple Brewing Company has received several awards for their handcrafted beers. Now they also are known for serving some of the finest beef in the state,” added Estes.

KBC is a beef producer-controlled organization established in 1973 to administer programs utilizing beef check-off dollars in promotion, education and research.

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