08/10/2023

H-E-B Chooses Quest for Texas Best Winners

Grand prize goes to Instant Pho from local producer PhoLicious

Multimedia Editor

Instant Pho from PhoLicious was given H-E-B's grand prize during its Quest for Texas Best product competition.

H-E-B celebrated the closure of its annual Quest for Texas Best competition by gifting five small local businesses a total of $85,000 and placement on its shelves. In honor of the 10th anniversary of the statewide competition, the grocer also gave a $10,000 check to each of the top 10 finalists.

This year’s winners were chosen from more than 600 finalists. The grand prize winner was Instant Pho by PhoLicious out of Houston, which received $25,000 and one year of free groceries from H-E-B, while Farmstead Salad Dressing from Verdegreens in Houston was the first prize winner with a $20,000 prize.

[Read more: "H-E-B McKinney Opens Its Doors"]

Cotton candy from Sweets with L&L and Sparkling Agua Fresca from A’HUA! tied as second place winners and each received a $20,000 prize. Rounding out the top five was Organic Yogurt from Armagh Creamery in Dublin, Texas, which was given a $10,000 check.

“Once again, we have seen and tasted the best Texans have to offer, and we look forward to adding more Texas-made products to our shelves,” said James Harris, H-E-B’s senior director of diversity and inclusion and supplier diversity. “Today, everyone walked away a winner, and we can’t wait to share with our customers the creative products from these amazing small businesses.”

Over the past 10 years, more than 6,000 products have been highlighted in H-E-B’s competition, and nearly 1,000 food, beverage and general merchandise items have achieved placement on H-E-B’s shelves. Overall, the grocer has awarded $2 million in prize money along with marketing, mentoring and supplemental support. Additionally, H-E-B has awarded 50 Quest for Texas Best suppliers with a commemorative H-E-B Million Dollar Club belt buckle for achieving $1 million in sales.

The largest privately held employer in Texas, San Antonio-based H-E-B has more than 420 stores and 145,000 employees in Texas and Mexico. The company is No. 15 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.