Texas' favorite grocery chain H-E-B has completed Quest for Texas Best, its search for the best Texas-made products to hit the shelves, and one Dallas brand made the cut: Oak Cliff restaurant Encina Dallas won for its Blue Corn Butterscotch Pancake Mix, one of four finalists.
Encina came in third place, winning a check for $10,000, plus an opportunity to get their product placed on H-E-B shelves.
Two Austin companies took top honors: Birria Queen won the grand prize, earning $25,000 for its birria seasoning bombs; and Utopia's Hess Street Foods won first place and $20,000 for its chorizo seasoning paste. Also from Austin, Certified Country Lemonade won second place and $15,000 for its frozen iced teas and lemonades.
The competition is now in its 11th year of engaging small businesses to find the best of their products, in return for $70,000 in cash prizes and placement on H-E-B shelves across Texas. For the 2024 competition, H-E-B received video from 470 entrepreneurs.
Team Encina wins 3rd place from H-E-B.
H-E-B
Encina was the only restaurant on the list, and its unique blue corn pancakes are one of the most popular menu items at its acclaimed weekend brunch.
The full list of 2024 H-E-B Quest for Texas Best finalists were:
- BeeKing's – Honey Dust – Canton
- Birria Queen – Birria Seasoning Bombs – Austin
- Certified Country Lemonade – Frozen Lemonade & Sweet Tea – Austin
- Encina – Blue Corn Butterscotch Pancake Mix – Dallas
- Hess Street Foods – Chorizo seasoning paste – Utopia
- HydroNation – Natural Sports Drinks – Dallas
- La Pale Frozen Fruit Bar – Mini Frozen Paletas – Brownsville
- Marasi Foods – Frozen Filled Naan Bread – Dallas (Allen)
- Sarape Treats – Chamoy Candy – Dallas
- Texas Rice Milling ~ Home of Honestly Texas – Rice – Brookshire
Small businesses drive innovation and keep our communities vibrant, which is why we are dedicated to finding and supporting the best small businesses in Texas,” said James Harris, senior director of diversity & inclusion and supplier diversity for H-E-B. “We are amazed year after year by the creative products submitted for the competition and look forward to making these inventive products available to our shoppers.”
More information about the contestants and product listings from past winners are available at heb.com.
