H-E-B’S QUEST FOR TEXAS BEST AWARDS $70,000 AND SHELF PLACEMENT TO FOUR TEXAS ENTREPRENEURS

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Bruce Bowen of San Antonio Spurs delivers the official winners – photo courtesy HEB– Advertising –

Texas Border Business

SAN ANTONIO, TX – After tastings, intensive deliberations and discussions of books, fritters and water bottles through to syrups, sausages and spices, HE-B’s Search for Texas Best FOUR winners named at the eighth annual competition. The winners of the 2021 event come from Dallas, Austin and Santa Elena and received a total of $ 70,000 in cash prizes and coveted shelf space in HEB stores across the country.

“Every year we are amazed at what Texans contribute to this competition. Despite the disruption from COVID-19, these entrepreneurs have shown creativity, determination and perseverance to grow their businesses, ”said James Harris, Director, Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity, HEB. “HEB is very excited to highlight these four outstanding companies and their Texan-made products that will add to the variety of products on our shelves and our supplier list.”

THE HEB QUEST 2021 AFTER TEXAS’S BEST WINNERS ARE:

Grand Prize Winners ($ 25,000):

Enjoy pâtisserie – French macarons

Kelli Watts (Dallas)

Grand Prize Winner – Savor Patisserie – Kelli Watts – Image courtesy of HEB– Advertising –

Half French but born and raised in Texas, Kelli Watts developed her own version of the French macaron and founded Savor Pâtisserie in 2016. The delicious treats with less than 100 calories are bigger than most, are naturally gluten-free with selected flavors and dairy-free. Flavors include vanilla, strawberry, lemon, and pistachio, as well as specialties like s’mores, cookies’ n cream, and birthday cake.

First Place Winners ($ 20,000):

2F Akaushi Beef – Texas Wagyu ground beef

Felo and Stephanie Martinez (Santa Elena)

His place – 2F Akaushi Beef – Stephanie and Felo Martinez – Image courtesy of HEB

The Martinez family has been raising and raising commercial cattle at Rancho Santa Fe from 1927 since 1984. The 2F Akaushi Ground Beef uses certified Akaushi Wagyu genetics and is a special 80/20 blend of chuck, rump and steak ingredients that is all natural , hormone-free and does not contain any antibiotics. 2F Akaushi Beef provides premium Wagyu beef for restaurants and households.

Second Place Winners ($ 15,000):

Bhoomi – Improved Sugar Cane Water

Arpit & Elora Bhopalkar (Austin)

2nd place Bhoomi – Arpit Bhopalkar – picture courtesy of HEB

Bhoomi, a line of high quality rehydrating cold pressed sugar cane elixirs mixed with ancient Ayurvedic superbotanicals for relaxation, immunity and superfood properties. Certified Paleo, low glycemic with packaging that reduces the carbon footprint by a whopping 89% compared to other traditional PET options. Bhoomi flavors include: ginger, turmeric, and moringa.

Third Place Winners ($ 10,000):

Hello Homemade Ice Cream – Dr Pepper Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Tom Landis & Coleman Jones (Dallas)

3rd place – Howdy Homemade – Coleman Jones, founder Tom Landis, Brandt Urban, Kalin O’Brien, Chris Dahlander. Image courtesy of HEB

Howdy Homemade Ice Cream is known for its iconic Dr Pepper Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and its mission to change the way companies hire people with special needs. With two locations in Dallas and five more in the pipeline, Howdy Homemade Ice Cream also works with numerous special needs organizations to hire, train and hire people with Down syndrome and autism.

The judges included: Winell Herron, Vice President of Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs, HEB Group; Kevin Blessing, HEB Group Vice President Bakery, Delicatessen, MTO, Culinary and Prepared Food; Mike Jarzombek, HEB Northwest Division Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing; Sabina Israelin-Garcia, HEB Vice President General Merchandise and Seasonal; Greg Beam, HEB

Director of Marketing and Merchandising, San Antonio Area; Paul Stephen, editor for San Antonio Express News; and Head Chef Sean Robertson, Head Chef and Product Development at HEB Culinary Academy.

Now in the eighth year HEB Quest for Texas Preferably has expanded its search for the best food and drink in the Lone Star State to include non-food items. In addition to food manufacturers and innovators, the company also invited Texas-based suppliers of beauty, toys, housewares, household supplies, gardening supplies, cool boxes, and everything in between.

The Quest for Texas Best competition in 2021 drew more than 1,200 product entries from cities and towns across the state. In two qualification rounds, the submissions in most HEB branches were evaluated according to taste and taste, customer attractiveness, value, uniqueness, market potential and differentiation from current products.

Since the competition began in 2014, HEB has reviewed more than 4,500 samples of the most creative and delicious Texan-made foods and beverages, considered more than 750 unique products for shelf placement, and awarded nearly $ 1 million in prize money, marketing, and fringe support and mentoring .

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