The search for the finest foods and beverages in the Lone Star State continues with the Sixth Annual H-E-B Primo Picks Quest for Texas Best contest. The call for entries is now open, submissions will be accepted Wednesday, February 27 through Friday, April 5.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.

Since launching the contest in 2014, H-E-B has reviewed more than 2,000 samples of the most creative and mouthwatering Texas-made food and beverages, deemed more than 400 unique products worthy of shelf placement and awarded nearly $400,000 in prize money. Hopes are high for 2019’s competition. Interested suppliers and manufacturers can submit details about their products at heb.com/quest.

Check out these tasty Texas products featured in the online video series: Primo Picks Presents the Best of Texas.  

To assist with the application process, H-E-B Sourcing and Supplier Diversity leaders will visit local chambers of commerce, small business development organizations and business advocacy groups from February 19 through April 1 to raise awareness about the product search, contest and share advice with potential entrants about product development and best practices for submitting their product into the competition. Meetings will take place in: Austin, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, El Paso, Houston, Killeen, Laredo, McAllen, San Antonio, Victoria and Waco. To register, please visit heb.com/quest.  

Click here to register for a community outreach meeting in your area and to see a full list of locations, dates and times.

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 August 7 and 8 at the Houston 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.

Visit H-E-B Newsroom for photos from last year’s Quest for Texas Best finals. B-roll from last year’s event can be found here.