H-E-B’s Quest for Texas Best Produces!

Ahhhh, the sweet taste success…something some entrepreneurs, talented creators of unique products from around the Lone Star State, are relishing. Meet the big winners of H-E-B’s Primo Picks Quest for Texas Best contest!

The winners received cash prizes totaling $70,000 AND consideration for coveted space on H-E-B shelves in 2016! One of them just might be a familiar face…

A panel of expert judges narrowed a field of 25 finalists to four winners, based on taste and flavor, customer appeal, value, uniqueness, market potential and differentiation from current products at most H-E-B stores.

The Winners:

Grand Prize ($25,000 and featured placement as a Texas Best Primo Pick):

TEO Gelato’s Gelato (Austin, TX)

Texas-born, Italian-trained Matthew Lee has mastered the craft of gelato using local, market-fresh ingredients and a homemade base. TEO Gelato’s signature flavors include Texas Pecan and Whiskey, Peanut Butter and Nutella, Poteet Strawberry and Texas Hill Country Peach.

First Place ($20,000):

Slaton Bakery’s Homemade Vanilla Wafers (Slaton, TX)

Chad Wilson’s Slaton Bakery has been delivering sweet treats to West Texans for over 90 years! The bakery’s most popular and famous delights are the Homemade Vanilla Wafers – best served with banana pudding.

Second Place ($15,000):

Blackbird Foods (Houston, TX)

Houston, we have a winner! Angela Rowley’s Blackbird Foods is inspired by local ingredients and the diverse food cultures of Texas. Angela is known for her sweet and savory pies, which could be sold in H-E-B stores in 2016…

Third Place ($10,000):

Blackbird Bakery (Austin, TX)

After mastering the craft of gluten-free baking, our friend Karen Morgan of Blackbird Bakery decided to share the gluten-free love with her fellow Texans. 😉

Karen’s unique line of gluten-free flour blends consists of six total – Donut & Fritter, Bread & Pizza and Cookie Jar to name a few. I had the pleasure of working with Karen not too long ago and am a big fan of her products!

The ‘Quest for Texas Best’ competition drew entries from 74 towns across the state! Among the finalists–six product makers were from the Houston area, five from San Antonio and West Texas, and four from Austin.

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