H-E-B names 2019 Quest for Texas Best winners
H-E-B names 2019 Quest for Texas Best winners
H-E-B names 2019 Quest for Texas Best winners

After two days of intense deliberations and tasting a delicious mix of brats, brittle, sauces, pickles, mixes, mixers, meats, cookies and crickets, H-E-B’s Primo Picks Quest for Texas Best named five winners at the Houston Food Bank. The winners of the sixth-annual event hail from Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Woodway and Atlanta, TX and received a combined $80,000 in cash prizes as well as a chance to showcase their products on H-E-B store shelves.

“Each of these 20 competitors displayed unprecedented creativity, style and commitment to providing outstanding, unique products for our consideration. In fact, the entries were so good that we ended up with FIVE winners this year. We are delighted to share that diversity and ingenuity with our customers across the state,” said James Harris, H-E-B Director, Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity.

The 2019 H-E-B Primo Picks Quest for Texas Best Winners are:

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

3 Sons Foods, LLC, Diablo Verde Sauce – Houston, TX
Traci, George, Luke and Ayden Johannson
3 Sons Foods is a family-owned company operated by sixth and seventh generation Texans, Traci Johannson and her three sons, George (11), Luke (14) and Ayden (16). The mother-son company produces and sells a devilishly addictive creamy cilantro sauce – Diablo Verde. Available in mild, medium and hot, Diablo Verde combines cilantro, lime, garlic, jalapenos and spices perfect for dipping, flavoring seafood, chicken, tacos, enchiladas, salads, burritos, empanadas, samosas and much more. Made in Texas using the freshest ingredients, Diablo Verde is gluten free, preservative free, egg free, nut free, soy free, vegetarian, 100-percent natural and 100-percent full of flavor. 3 Sons Foods has won and placed in many competitions, including 1st place in best Salsa Hot; 2nd place for best new product from The Chile Pepper Magazine Contest; 1st and 3rd place Green Sauce Judges Award; and 2nd and 3rd place Green Sauce People’s Choice from The Austin Chronicle Salsa Fest. Staying true to the company motto, “Eat Diablo Save Rhinos,” a portion of Diablo Verde sales goes to the International Rhino Foundation to help stop the illegal poaching of rhinos.

First Place Winner ($20,000):
Uncle Ray’s Peanut Brittle, Peanut Brittle – Austin, TX
Courtney Ray Goodson
Courtney Ray Goodson’s Great Uncle Ray perfected his peanut brittle over the span of 35 years. It was his secret to charming just about everyone west of the Mississippi, creating community with every bite. He shared his secret with Goodson over coffee, laughter and morning talks about life and brittle. Goodson was a quick study. As she left for a stint in the Peace Corps, she enlisted Uncle Ray to send brittle, which was skillfully used to make friends in her new community in the South Pacific. She started making it herself to crowdfund a local woman’s start-up business in turn, starting her own. Goodson has since given the classic southern treat a boost, creating eight flavors handmade with wholesome ingredients and NO high fructose corn syrup, additives, GMOs or gluten. Made with some big Texas hair (covered with hair nets always), big Texas dreams, and a big strong arm that stirs with love and helps our neighbors along the way, the lineup includes: Bacon Pecan (for the foodies), Butternut (for the peanut lovers), Pecan (a top seller) and classic Peanut Brittle (for the Golden Gals [& Guys] of the world).

Second Place Winner ($15,000):
EVOKE, Collagen Drink – Woodway, TX
Derrick Newball
Fruit of Life’s story began seven years ago and 1,769 miles away with a dream to create a company capable of producing healthy drinks from coconuts using the entire fruit. Founder, Derrick Newball, bottled raw coconut water; handcrafted coconut milk soaps from the coconut pulp; and composted the coconut shells to create fertilizer for his coconut farm. But he knew there was more. There was a health and wellness revolution in the beverage industry and he wanted in. After four years of exploring consumer taste preferences and trying new ingredients to leverage their original coconut water, they created EVOKE. As one of the first drinks to capitalize on the collagen trend with a beverage that not only tastes great but has numerous benefits for skin, hair, joints and bones. EVOKE comes in three delicious flavors – coconut, mandarin coconut and pineapple coconut.

TWO Third Place Winners ($10,000 each):
To the Moon Family Foods, Nutty-Carrot Spread – Atlanta, TX
Kay Lynn York and Joan Reece
To the Moon Family Foods’ Original Nutty-Carrot Spread is the newest crowd-pleaser from this northeast Texas town. Made with carrots, pecans and mouthwatering spices, its unique flavor matches its addictive appeal. There are endless ways to enjoy the spread – on a sandwich; as a stuffing for baked chicken; as a dip; as a topping for pork or fish; or rolled in balls, coated with breadcrumbs and fried. No matter how you choose to indulge, creators Kay York and Joan Reece hope you spread it with love.

Grain4Grain, Low-Carb Flour and Mix – San Antonio, TX
Yoni Medhin and Matt Mechtly
Grain4Grain was founded by Yoni Medhin and Matt Mechtly with a goal of enabling people to live healthier lives while improving the environment and giving back. They do this through recycling spent grains from local microbreweries to make a low carb, high protein, high fiber flour. Their current products include both Low Carb Flour Pancake and Waffle Mix. For every pound of flour sold, Grain4Grain donates a pound to those in need via the San Antonio Food Bank and Hill Country Daily Bread, with plans to expand statewide. To date, they have helped thousands of people take positive steps in reaching their nutrition goals, upcycled over 17,000 pounds of spent grain, and have helped feed over 1,650 families through the buy one, give one program.

The 2019 Quest for Texas Best competition drew more than 800 entries from nearly 140 cities and towns across the state after a call for entries in February of this year. Through two qualifying rounds, submissions were judged on taste and flavor, customer appeal, value, uniqueness, market potential and differentiation from current products at most H-E-B stores.

The judges included: Cory Basso, H-E-B Group Vice President of Advertising; Juan Alonso, H-E-B Regional Vice President Houston Division, South Region and Mi Tienda; Justin Tippet, H-E-B Director of Human Resources SA/West Division; Chef Charlotte Samuel, H-E-B Culinary Nutritionist & Product Development Chef; Tanji Patton, Good Taste TV Executive Producer; Greg Morago, Houston Chronicle Food Writer; and Winell Herron, H-E-B Group Vice President of Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs.

H-E-B Quest for Texas Best is a signature program for H-E-B’s Primo Picks brand, which labels the best-in-store products that are all unique, delicious, and new. Since its inception in 2014, Quest for Texas Best has yielded nearly 500 new products on H-E-B’s grocery, bakery, deli and market shelves across the state.

As part of H-E-B’s commitment to providing local product options, H-E-B is the single largest retailer of the Go Texan program with more than 1,000 H-E-B brand items that include the Go Texan watermark in stores throughout the state.

About H-E-B

H-E-B, with sales of more than $50 billion, operates over 455 stores in Texas and Mexico. Known for its innovation and community service, H-E-B celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. Recognized for its fresh food, quality products, convenient services, and a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability, H-E-B strives to provide the best customer experience and low prices. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs over 175,000 Partners in Texas and Mexico and serves millions of customers in more than 300 communities. For more information, visit heb.com and the H-E-B Newsroom.

About H-E-B

H-E-B, with sales of more than $50 billion, operates over 455 stores in Texas and Mexico. Known for its innovation and community service, H-E-B celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. Recognized for its fresh food, quality products, convenient services, and a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability, H-E-B strives to provide the best customer experience and low prices. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs over 175,000 Partners in Texas and Mexico and serves millions of customers in more than 300 communities. For more information, visit heb.com and the H-E-B Newsroom.

About H-E-B

H-E-B, with sales of more than $50 billion, operates over 455 stores in Texas and Mexico. Known for its innovation and community service, H-E-B celebrates its 120th anniversary this year. Recognized for its fresh food, quality products, convenient services, and a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability, H-E-B strives to provide the best customer experience and low prices. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs over 175,000 Partners in Texas and Mexico and serves millions of customers in more than 300 communities. For more information, visit heb.com and the H-E-B Newsroom.

Media Gallery
Tozi Super Foods Tortillas and Tortilla Chips

Austin

Proudly Mexicana-founded and family-led, Tozi Superfoods blends heritage with health in every bite. The Mexican American food company is inspired by the Aztec goddess of health, Toci. Founded by two sisters and their mother, Tozi blends six generations of tradition from their family ranch in Jalisco, Mexico, with the power of indigenous superfoods like blue corn and amaranth – once a sacred staple of the Aztecs and a complete plant-based protein, rich in fiber, antioxidants, and cultural history. From tortillas to totopos, every product is clean, seed oil free, gluten free, nutrient-rich, and rooted in heritage – with wellness at the heart of it all. Tozi truly is “where heritage meets health”. 

Spicytude Spices

Dallas

Spicytude’s story begins where traditions are passed down and flavors come alive, the kitchen. Specifically, the kitchen of Arpi’s  grandmother. With a deep-rooted love of South Indian cooking and a craving for the flavors of her childhood, Arpi’s dream is to make flavorful Indian cooking easy and accessible for everyone with curated spice kits, step-by-step recipes, and video instructions. No guesswork, just bold flavor. Founded in the quiet days of 2020, Spicytude crafts small-batch, thoughtfully sourced spice blends that bring bold, authentic Indian flavors to home kitchens across the country.

Rigo’s Dairy
Latin-Style Cheese 

Bryan (Houston Region)

With four generations of cheesemaking behind them, Rigo’s Dairy is bringing traditional yet bold Venezuelan flavor to Texas tables. Based in Bryan, this family-run cheese plant  uses 100% cow’s milk and sticks to the same time-tested methods brought from their native Venezuela – no artificial flavors or shortcuts  – crafting authentic Latin-style cheeses that blend generations of tradition with the hard work and family values that define the Lone Star State. The result is a selection of cheeses that are fresh, rich, and full of flavor you can taste in every bite.

Oca Foods Peanut Butter

Austin (Central Texas Region)

After spending several years in the U.S., Renato Raposo found himself missing one of his favorite childhood snacks, Pacoca [pah-SOK-ah], a beloved Brazilian peanut treat. His connection with the snack deepened after the passing of his father in 2022 – it was a snack they loved and shared together. Unable to find a clean and simple version of this nostalgic treat, he created OCA Foods. By June 2024, he left a tech career to pursue OCA full-time, transforming this craving into a mission to share a wholesome, meaningful snack with the world.

Long Phung Food Products
Vietnamese Meat Products

Houston

For more than 35 years and two generations, Long Phung has been serving up bold, delicious bites of Vietnam – one pork roll at a time. This Houston-based, family-owned brand is beloved for its ready-to-heat favorites made with quality ingredients and no artificial additives. Available in over 200 stores across North America, Long Phung makes it easy to bring a little taste of tradition and a lot of flavor to your table.

The Lavish Goat Bath Products

Sugarland (Houston Region)

The Lavish Goat crafts vibrant bath and body products designed to turn everyday routines into joyful rituals. What started in Candice and Sean Wheat’s kitchen during the pandemic has grown into a women-led, minority-owned manufacturer producing high-quality bath bombs and menthol-infused shower steamers. Known for their colorful designs and hidden prize surprises, The Lavish Goat combines artistry, aromatherapy, and community impact-all made in Texas with heart supporting the community through charitable efforts and internships for adults with Autism and Down Syndrome.

Klein Smokehaus Bacon 

Boerne (San Antonio Region)

Klein Smokehaus Oak Smoked Bacon is locally made and handcrafted on Boerne’s Hill Country Mile by native Texans the old-world way. This slow process and local oak creates bacon with a unique depth of aroma and flavor. Family owned and operated since 1950; Klein Smokehaus has deep roots in the Texas Hill Country. A nod to this German heritage and tradition, Klein’s specialty meat products are a true taste of history.

Jam-In Tools Crawfish Peeler

Dickinson (Houston Region)

JAM-IN Crawfish Tool, started as a simple idea to take the hassle out of crawfish boils. It has grown into a homegrown gadget that keeps the tradition of crawfish boils fun and accessible for all, with a product that’s tough, practical, and Texas through and through. From first timers to seasoned pros,   peeling crawfish can be quick, easy, and nail friendly. Proudly based in Dickinson, founder Joann Meguess works with local partners to build and package each tool right here in Texas.

Deli Spice Cooking Spices 

McAllen (Border Region)

Born from Sully Villareal’s dream to share real Mexican food with the world (no shortcuts) Deli Spices’ Birria Spice Mix is made withreal dried chiles and toasted spices. It’s a 3-step recipe: just add meat, water, and the mix — no cooking skills required. Everyblend is tested by families and perfected by a Mexican mom in Texas to help people cook authentic birria in under 30 minutes withrestaurant-level flavor and reviving the Villareal family’s memories with every bite.