Local business in top 20 Quest for H-E-B Texas Best

H-E-B has scoured the Lone Star State in search of the most delectable culinary creations from talented Texans during the company’s annual Quest for Texas Best competition. After tasty deliberations, 20 finalists with a flair for food were selected out of more than 824 entrepreneurs from 136 cities and towns across the state. The finalists will showcase their products on Aug. 7-8 before a panel of judges at the Houston Food Bank to stake a winning claim in the sixth annual competition.

“Since its inception in 2014, our sourcing team has sifted through more than 3,000 products in the Quest for Texas Best competition. This contest has yielded nearly 450 unique products worthy of company-wide distribution and awarded nearly $400,000 in prize money,” said James Harris, Director, Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity, H-E-B. “We continue to be amazed at what Texans bring to the table and how their creations are received in stores.”

The top 20 finalists in the 2019 competition will present their creations to a panel of expert judges who will select four winners based on quality, marketability and product readiness. Winners will receive a combined $70,000 in cash prizes and sought-after space on H-E-B shelves. H-E-B will award the Grand Prize winner $25,000, the coveted title of “Texas Best” Primo Pick and placement on store shelves; the firstplace winner $20,000; the second-place winner $15,000; and the thirdplace winner $10,000.

H-E-B Primo Picks Quest for Texas Best is back for the 6th year in search of the most delectable culinary creations from talented Texans.

This year’s search generated a delicious mix of brats, brittle, sauces, pickles, mixes, mixers, cookies and crickets. After tasty deliberations, 20 finalists with a flair for food were selected out of more than 824 entrepreneurs from 136 cities and towns across the state.

Atlanta residents, Kay York, and Joan Reece with To the Moon Family Foods Company, will showcase their Nutty Carrot Spread on August 7-8 before a panel of judges at the Houston Food Bank to stake a winning claim in the sixth annual competition.

Kay York from the Moon Family Foods Company says that they “entered the HEB Quest for Texas Best contest because we had several food industry professionals Encouraging us to submit our Nutty-Carrot Spread,” which says York, “is a customer favorite from Joan’s catering business of thirty years. The reactions to this delicious product have been phenomenal, to say the least!”

York says it has been an amazing experience to be a part of the contest.”It has been one of the most thrilling experiences of our lives!” However, if they when it may even turn into even more of an adventure.

“We have been told by a past finalist that our lives will never be the same. This contest has been a platform to launch this product as well as future products,” says York.

If you’re worried about the stress of the event, or the potential of fame causing problems with the relationship of the two families you can set your worry aside. York says, “Our two families have always been extremely close! This experience has only made us closer and so appreciative of each other.”

York says they are thinking ahead, “already have another product in HEB and have several currently in development stages.” Their hope is to also bring the products home to some of the stores in the near future.

For those not familiar with H.E.B, they are a grocery store chain that operates more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico. They are known around the greater area for its innovation and community service, H-E-B celebrates its 114th anniversary this year.

The chain is based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs over 110,000 Partners in Texas and Mexico and serves millions of customers in more than 300 communities. The closest location is in Carthage 67 miles away.