Now in its seventh year, H-E-B Primo Picks Quest for Texas Best has expanded its search for the finest foods and beverages in the Lone Star State to now include non-food items. In addition to food creators and innovators, Texas-based purveyors of apparel, beauty items, electronics and toys, home goods, household necessities, gardening supplies, coolers and everything in between are now invited to join. The call for entries is now open, and submissions will be accepted Feb. 26 through April 3. Qualified participants will compete for a combined $70,000 in cash prizes and the opportunity to feature their product on H-E-B shelves across the state.
To prepare, participants will have opportunities to visit with H-E-B Sourcing and Supplier Diversity leaders about product development and best practices for submitting their product during special information sessions Feb. 27-April 1 in Abilene, Austin, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, El Paso, Houston, Killeen, Lubbock, McAllen, San Angelo, San Antonio, Victoria and Waco. To register and review competition details, click here.
Since launching the contest in 2014, H-E-B has reviewed more than 3,800 samples of Texas-made food and beverages, deemed more than 600 unique products worthy of shelf placement and awarded nearly $500,000 in prize money.
After the call for entries period is complete, H-E-B’s business development managers will select the top 20 applicants, who will present their products before a panel of judges selected by H-E-B on Aug. 5 and 6, at the San Antonio Food Bank. The panel of judges will determine the top four winning products and award $25,000 to the grand prize winner, the title of “Texas Best” Primo Pick and placement on store shelves; $20,000 to the first-place winner; $15,000 to the second-place winner and $10,000 to the third-place winner.
Eligible products must not be available in any other large chain or retailer and the vendors must be willing to sell exclusively to H-E-B. Additionally, Texas-based suppliers must also create, produce or co-pack the products in Texas.
H-E-B, with sales of $28 billion, operates more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs more than 120,000 partners in Texas and Mexico and serves millions of customers in more than 300 communities.
