H-E-B Chooses 'Quest for Texas Best' Winners

3 Sons Foods celebrate its grand prize for Diablo Verde Sauce

H-E-B has named five winners of its sixth annual H-E-B's Primo Picks Quest for Texas Best competition. The winners received a combined $80,000 in cash prizes and a chance to have their products in the grocer's stores.

The competition had more than 800 entries from nearly 140 Texas cities. Judges narrowed it down to 20 finalists after two qualifying rounds before choosing the winners. Products were judged on customer appeal, value, uniqueness, market potential, and differentiation from current products at most H-E-B stores.

The winners are:

Grand-prize winner ($25,000)

3 Sons Foods LLC, Diablo Verde Sauce

Traci, George, Luke and Ayden Johannson, Houston

first-place winner ($20,000)

Uncle ray's peanut brittle, Peanut brittle

Courtney Ray Goodson, Austin

Second-Place Winner ($15,000)
EVOKE, Collagen Drink

Derrick Newball, Woodway

2 Third-Place Winners ($10,000 each)
To the Moon Family Foods, Nutty-Carrot Spread

Kay Lynn York and Joan Reece, Atlanta

Grain4Grain, Low-Carb Flour and Mix

Yoni Medhin and Matt Mechtly, San Antonio

The judges were Cory Basso, H-E-B group VP of advertising; Juan Alonso, H-E-B regional VP 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 and product development chef; Tanji Patton, Goodtaste TV executive producer; Greg Morago, Houston Chronicle food writer; and Winell Herron, H-E-B group VP of public affairs, diversity and environmental affairs.

With 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, H-E-B is No. 6 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.