Texas Border Business
H-E-B is excited to kick off the 12th annual H-E-B Quest for Texas Best, a competition created to find the best Texas-made products. Submissions for the competition will be accepted from March 10 through April 23. Qualified participants will compete for a combined $100,000 in cash prizes and the opportunity to feature their product on H-E-B shelves across the state.
H-E-B’s Business Development Managers will select the top applicants who will present their products before a panel of judges selected by H-E-B this September in San Antonio. The panel of judges will determine the top four winning products and award $50,000 to the Grand Prize winner, the title of “Texas Best”, and placement on store shelves; $25,000 to the first-place winner; $15,000 to the second-place winner; and $10,000 to the third-place winner.
H-E-B has discovered more than 1,000 unique products throughout the Lone Star State over the last decade – from cookies, coffees to empanadas, pickles, and pho, to salsas, spices, and everything in between. Non-food submissions have included everything from beauty items, toys, home goods, and household necessities, to gardening supplies, coolers, and more. Over the years, H-E-B has reviewed nearly 7,000 samples of the most creative Texas-made products and awarded nearly $2.75 million in prize money complemented by marketing, mentoring, and supplemental support. Additionally, H-E-B has awarded 55 Quest for Texas Best suppliers to date with a commemorative H-E-B Million Dollar Club belt buckle for achieving $1 million in sales.
“We look forward to connecting with Texas-based innovators each year and providing exciting opportunities through this competition,” said James Harris, Sr. Director of Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity for H-E-B. “I can’t wait to see what products are brought to the table this year. After 12 years of the H-E-B Quest for Texas Best and nearly 7,000 entries, the creativity and ingenuity of Texans still inspires me.”
To prepare for Quest, participants will have the opportunity to visit with H-E-B Sourcing leaders about formation sessions March 27, April 2, April 10, and April 16. Registration is required. To register for an informational meeting, review competition details, and learn more about the two-minute video requirement, please visit heb.com/quest.
Interested suppliers and manufacturers must submit details about their products at heb.com/quest by 4:59:59 p.m. on April 23 for consideration.
