ADD TO CART
2 Austin companies make final list in H-E-B's search for next big thing

Tozi Superfoods Tortillas and Tortilla Chips is one of the nominees.
It's time to update your grocery list. After spending months assessing hours of video submissions, Texas grocer H-E-B has narrowed down the finalists for the annual Quest for Texas Best competition. Ten innovative Texas entrepreneurs were chosen from 370 entries from 150 Lone Star cities, including two in Austin.
Now in its 12th year, the contest asks Texas small businesses to strut their stuff for the chance to win a combined $100,000 in cash prizes and the coveted opportunity to feature their products on H-E-B shelves statewide. Since the competition's beginning, the grocer has discovered over 1,000 unique products, many of which have become some of Texans' favorite household essentials.
Last year, Austin's Birria Queen won the competition's grand prize for birria "seasoning bombs," and another local company, Certified Country Lemonade, won second place for its frozen iced teas and lemonades.
"Quest for Texas Best is not only designed to find the best Texas-made products, but also to empower local entrepreneurs with the resources, exposure, and mentorship they need to grow," said James Harris, H-E-B senior director of diversity & inclusion and supplier diversity, in a release. "H-E-B was once a small business, so we understand the power and potential they can have, and we cannot wait to share the winning selections with our customers."
Two snacks from Austin are in the running for the prize. Oca Foods Peanut Butter Bites, inspired by a beloved childhood treat in Brazil, only have three ingredients: peanut, sugar, and salt. More health-focused products come from Tozi Superfoods Tortillas and Tortilla Chips, which are made from indigenous superfoods like amaranth and blue corn.
Other hopefuls are scattered across the state, including:
- Boerne — Klein Smokehaus uses old-world techniques and local oak trees to create handcrafted bacon that is inspired by Boerne's German heritage
- McAllen — Deli Spices Cooking Spices, easy Mexican spice blends made with dried chiles for restaurant cooking at home
- Dickinson — Jam-In Tools Crawfish Peeler, a handy gadget that takes the hassles out of crawfish boils
- Sugar Land — The Lavish Goat Bath Products, a line of bath bombs and menthol-infused shower steamers
- Houston — Long Phung Food Products Vietnamese Meats, a line of ready-to-heat favorites made with quality ingredients and no artificial additives
- Houston — My Drink Bomb Cocktail Mixers, low-calorie bombs that can make sparkling water into an instant mixed drink, with or without alcohol
- Bryan — Rigo's Dairy Latin-Style Cheese, a family-run cheese plant bringing Venezuelan flavors to the U.S.
- Dallas — Spicytude Spices, flavor kits meant to take the guesswork out of Southern Indian cooking
The final contenders will face off on September 25 at H-E-B's headquarters in San Antonio, where judges will determine the top four winning products and award $50,000 to the Grand Prize winner and the "Texas Best" title — an honor that guarantees placement on H-E-B store shelves.
The first-place winner will receive $25,000, the second-place winner will receive $15,000, and the third-place winner will receive $10,000.
Since 2014, H-E-B has handed out $2.75 million in prize money to Texas entrepreneurs, providing marketing, mentoring, and supplemental support along the way. Fifty-five Texas small businesses have achieved $1 million in sales and earned a commemorative H-E-B Million Dollar Club belt buckle.
