First Mexican hard aguas frescas brand splashes into 200 H-E-B stores across Texas

JOY JUICE

Photo courtesy of Picadas

Texans take their aguas frescas seriously. Look at the controversy when TikToker Gracie Norton called the beloved drink “spa water.” Still, locals are not likely to argue should one want to throw in a little booze.

Now entrepreneur Hugo Martinez has taken beloved Mexican flavors out of vitroleros and into cans with Picadas, a line of hard aguas frescas. Each can combines real fruit juice with cane sugar alcohol for a product that’s sure to take Fiesta by storm.

Martinez conceived the brand while completing an MBA at Stanford University. A fan of seltzers, he realized the category was missing a taste of home. After returning to Monterey, Mexico in 2021, Picadas was born.

“I became a seltzer enthusiast when I took my first sip, but I was searching everywhere for one with Mexican flavors. Tamarindo, Limonada... the stuff I grew up drinking,” Martinez explains via a release. “Coming from Mexico, we never sacrifice flavor.”

The name comes from the phrase “con piquete,” Mexican slang for “spiked.” Each 12-ounce can rings in at 130 calories with 4.5 percent alcohol by volume. The drinks can be enjoyed alone or amped up with tequila or mezcal.

Currently, the line is available in three flavors — mango, limonada, and guava. Every six-pack, retailing at $10.99, comes with a packet of spicy chile-lime salt to dress the rim. Texans can stock their fridges at 200 H-E-B stores statewide.

Photo courtesy of H-E-B

H-E-B seeks Texas' best for 10th annual high-stakes competition

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For nine years, H-E-B has been a star maker. Through its annual Quest for Texas Best competition, small companies have become literal household names, filling pantries across the state. Now, a new crop of products has the chance to be crowned as the high-stakes contest seeks entries for its 10th anniversary year.

The Quest for Texas Best is taking applications now through April 6. Small business owners and entrepreneurs across the state can submit their unique and innovative products to win a combined $70,000 in cash prizes and the opportunity to feature their products on H-E-B shelves.

Since the competition started almost a decade ago, H-E-B has discovered over 960 exceptional products across the Lone Star State. These have included various food and non-food items, including cookies, coffees, beauty items, toys, home goods, and even roasted crickets. The contest has awarded nearly $2 million in prize money and provided valuable marketing, mentoring, and supplemental support to its winners.

In 2022, a Lakeway-based cookie dough maker called Love and Cookies made Austin proud with a first-place prize. Other past finalists from the Austin area include GoodPop, Mmmpanadas, and Imperfekt Bites, among other Hill Country brands.

To be considered for the contest, interested suppliers and manufacturers can submit details about their products online between February 22 and April 6. After the Call for Entries period is complete, H-E-B's Business Development Managers will select the top applicants who will present their products before a panel of judges chosen by H-E-B on August 9 at Fair Park in Dallas.

The panel of judges will determine the top four winning products and award $25,000 to the Grand Prize winner, the title of "Texas Best," and placement on H-E-B store shelves. The first-place winner will receive $20,000, the second-place winner will receive $15,000, and the third-place winner will receive $10,000.

"As we continue to expand the opportunities for small businesses in Texas and diversify our supplier base through programs like Quest for Texas Best, we look forward to seeing what our fellow Texans bring to the judges' table during the 2023 competition," said James Harris, Sr. Director of Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity for H-E-B, via a release.

Courtesy of H-E-B

Peek inside Austin's first 2-story H-E-B, plus more top stories

Hot Headlines

Editor’s note: It’s that time again — time to check in with our top stories. Here are five articles that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. Peek inside Austin's first 2-story H-E-B, now open. The first multi-level H-E-B in Austin, the 97,000-square-foot store celebrated its official opening on February 15.

2. 2 Austin restaurants make Texas Monthly's list of best new spots in the state. The magazine says Maie Day "might be the most unexpected steakhouse in town," and Diner Bar is a "bastion of unpredictability."

3. Legendary author's personal estate set for auction at Central Texas gallery. The auction will feature a wide range of treasures, including personal copies of the author's books and memorabilia from his Hollywood productions.

4. Austin Modern Home Tour extends to the Hill Country with spectacular 2-day showcase. Taking place on February 25 and 26, the goal of the two tours is to showcase talented architects, designers, and developers in the Central Texas area.

5. Famous LGBTQIA+ barbershop from San Francisco starts shaving in Austin. Daddy's Barbershop chose Austin for its first expansion outside of California.

Courtesy of H-E-B

Peek inside Austin's first 2-story H-E-B, now open

H-E-B Forever

The long-awaited two-story H-E-B has finally opened its doors. Located on the site of a former Randall's, at the corner of Lake Austin Boulevard and Exposition Boulevard, the 97,000-square-foot store celebrated its official opening on February 15.

The first multi-level H-E-B in Austin, the new store also offers a True Texas BBQ restaurant, SouthFlo Pizza, Lake Austin’s Coffee Spot, underground parking, and a two-story porch.

“This is a special store that the community has waited for with great anticipation, and we are excited to provide the dynamic shopping experience our loyal and deserving customers will be proud of for decades to come,” said Jim Smith, Top Store Leader at the Lake Austin H-E-B, via release.

Both SouthFlo Pizza and Lake Austin's Coffee Spot are located on the store's ground floor, while True Texas BBQ is on the second. The latter is the third True Texas BBQ restaurant in Austin and features a full bar with both indoor and outdoor seating.

In celebration of this grand opening, H-E-B made donations totaling $35,000 to local nonprofit organizations and surrounding schools, including $5,000 each to the Central Texas Food Bank; Treefolks; Pop-up Birthday; and several nearby schools.

As part of its long-standing support for environmental sustainability, H-E-B announced late last year a $1 million gift to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation to support the 100th anniversary of Texas State Parks. The new Lake Austin H-E-B will temporarily display nearly a dozen art pieces selected from The Art of Texas Parks collection, commissioned by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and currently on display at the Bullock Museum in Austin.

As the largest privately held employer in Texas, the Lake Austin H-E-B store will employ more than 300 Partners, and the store is still hiring for positions in the store and accompanying restaurants. All job opportunities can be found at H-E-B Careers.

Courtesy of H-E-B

The new store opened its doors on February 15.

Photo courtesy of H-E-B

H-E-B reclaims top spot in annual survey of best U.S. grocers

H-E-B Forever

Shawn Mendes and Camillo Cabello called it quits. The word “cheugy” became a thing. Addison Rae got a Netflix deal. Lots of bummer things happened in 2021. But for Texans, no greater indignity was suffered than H-E-B falling behind Amazon on dunnhumby’s Top U.S. Grocery Retailers list.

Thank goodness that’s all behind us. The consumer research firm recently released its 2022 Retailer Preference Index report, a survey of over 30,000 consumers. Once again, H-E-B took the throne, besting more than 60 grocers ranging from giants like Walmart to beloved regional chains like Wegmens.

To arrive at the rankings, dunnhumby zeroed in on five sectors of customer preference: price, promotions and rewards, quality, speed and convenience, digital, and operations. H-E-B scored near the top of three drivers — price, quality, and digital.

H-E-B slipped to the second spot in 2021 due to that all-too-familiar bogeyman — the Covid-19 pandemic. Quarantines and other outside pressures made timesaving and a seamless eCommerce experience more critical to the average shopper.

With pandemic concerns receding, H-E-B’s overall quality and leadership in price, promotions, and rewards have moved to the top of customers’ minds. Meanwhile, the hometown hero has managed to close the digital gap.

Dunnhumby recognized the shift by naming H-E-B in its inaugural survey of the best online grocery retailers in the U.S. in July 2022. In that study, the San Antonio-based chain received high scores for ease in ordering and payments, on-time deliveries, and accuracy in charges, among other metrics.

However, the reason locals keep giving H-E-B its flowers may be more intangible. The retailer has made a name for itself by supporting small Texas companies and supporting community causes, particularly education. And, of course, its fleets are among the first to act during statewide emergencies.

As dunnhumby’s online study stated in 2022, “It is worth highlighting the regional grocer has the best emotional connection … out of all of the retailers in this study.”

In Austin, this certainly explains the enthusiastic reaction to the 2022 announcement that a new H-E-B is slated to open next week on Lake Austin Boulevard.

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NASCAR driver Ross Chastain aims for 3rd career win at Circuit of the Americas

HAIL MELON

After his first-ever Cup victory at Circuit of the Americas in 2022, this eighth generation Central Florida watermelon farmer turned NASCAR driver is looking to nab his third career win at the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix in Austin on March 26.

Trackhouse Racing star Ross Chastain is currently third in the points heading into the race weekend; just four points behind Christopher Bell (second), and five behind Joey Logano (current leader). Chastain finished second behind Logano in the 2022 Cup Series Championship.

The tight standings make for a thrilling weekend at COTA, where Chastain earned his first career win just last year. He says driving on the 3.41-mile road course feels “opposite” to him than what he’s used to with a typical 1.5-mile oval track. He's been making left-only turns since he was 12 years old, and even on his Florida farm he would navigate the grids of watermelons and turn left at the end of every row. Learning to navigate a road course meant seeking help from others who might have better experience.

“I went to driving schools [and] I went to older and other drivers to teach me and give me advice on the simple art of driving a race car at its limit to the right, and COTA’s no different,” he tells CultureMap. “It’s – to me – very ironic that we got our first Cup Series win at a road course.”

Many race car drivers have raised concerns about the bumpy surface of the track, even after parts of it were resurfaced in 2022. For Chastain, he thinks there’s a couple different perspectives a driver can take when it comes to blemished track surfaces. On the one hand, part of him loves the idea of a perfectly smooth track with "symmetrical corners" for him to put down a perfect lap. But the “racing purist” in him also wants to drive on the “worst track possible.”

“I want bumps and cracks, different corners. I want to turn left and right...and just have variety, and COTA is getting that more and more," he says. "Our cars, they bottom out [and] slide...that’s what makes our racing so great is that we are out of control a lot."

Unlike F1 drivers, who tend to be more precise on track, NASCAR drivers use anything and everything to their advantage to get a win, much like Chastain’s straight-from-a-video-game wall-ride move that subsequently got banned at the beginning of January.

COTA might not have a wall to ride, but it does have a 133-foot first turn elevation change. While it can be a challenge for some, it isn’t for Chastain. The high elevation allows him to charge into the corner hard, let gravity slow him down while going uphill, then let the car slide down while heading into turn two.

“I love it. I wish more tracks had more elevation change like [COTA]. It makes the racing more dynamic, and being behind the wheel in the driver’s seat makes it more fun,” he says.

When considering the momentum it will take to score another win, Chastain admits it will be the biggest challenge he’s ever faced, but he’s confident in his ability to carry over that drive and motivation after his 2022 second-place Cup Series finish.

In line with the car’s continuing evolution, as he puts it, a recent aerodynamics change is expected to shake up who ends up at the top of the leaderboard. But his calm demeanor shows he isn’t phased by the changes.

“As simple as it sounds, we race in circles on Sunday afternoons, and this sport is a big circle of teams [and drivers] cycling up, cycling down,” says Chastain. “We’ll have to work harder than ever to try and stay at the top here.”

To kick off the race weekend and initiate some good luck for his Sunday race, Chastain (ever-connected to his roots) will drop watermelons off COTA’s illustrious 251-foot observation tower on Friday, March 24 at 2 pm.

The EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas will run from 2:30-6 pm on Sunday, March 26. More information about the race can be found at circuitoftheamericas.com, and tickets can be purchased at nascaratcota.com.

Former UT football star turns another page in AISD library renovations

Still defending the dream

There’s always more to discover in the world of books, and former Longhorns linebacker Derrick Johnson is making sure there are new places for it, too. The football star, who went on to play for the Chiefs, later created a foundation which has just installed its second “Discovery Den” in Austin at Langford Elementary School, unveiling it on March 23.

Johnson’s Discovery Dens are minor library renovations that include furniture for kids who would like to read together or independently, plus “750 new age-appropriate and culturally relevant books.” Photos also show wall decals of Johnson and encouraging words such as “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.”

“I’m thrilled to continue our work in Austin and transform Langford Elementary’s library into a space that inspires kids to open a book and their minds for a brighter future,” said Derrick Johnson.

Defend the Dream Foundation — now 11 years old, almost as long as Johnson’s 14-year NFL career — prioritizes low-income and inner city youth in Title I schools to encourage success both in and out of school. Kendra Scott, a well-known Austin-based jewelry designer with frequent philanthropic endeavors, matched the foundation’s contribution to the Langford project as a co-funder.

“Education is a key component of our philanthropy pillar at Kendra Scott, and we’re proud to provide ongoing support for the Defend the Dream Foundation and all the good they do” said Kendra Scott CEO Tom Nolan. “The new library at Langford Elementary will provide the right resources to continue to inspire the future leaders of tomorrow.”

It is also thanks to Austin Ed Fund, a nonprofit education foundation through Austin Independent School District (Austin ISD), that the Dens can be created. The first Austin Discovery Den opened at Oak Springs Elementary School in September of 2022. There are 17 Dens in total across the United States, with multiple in the Chiefs' home of Kansas City.

“We are so grateful to DJ and his foundation for caring about our students and impacting schools in our community,” said Austin Ed Fund executive director Michelle Wallis. “We’ve already seen the positive impact that the Discovery Den has made in Oak Springs Elementary School, and we know that students at Langford Elementary will experience the same excitement in having new books to read in their new library space.”

More information about Defend the Dream Foundation is available at visit derrickjohnsonfoundation.org.

5 noteworthy Austin concerts to catch in the SXSW comedown

Music Notes

South by Southwest's domination of Austin may be done, but that doesn’t mean the music has stopped. See here for a handful of noteworthy shows with local artists that are happening over the next couple of weeks.

Aries Zodiac Party at the Far Out Lounge – Friday, March 24
The Aries Zodiac Party, which is exactly what you think it is, will go down at the Far Out Lounge this Friday, March 24. The event will feature performances by Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Band, Shooks, Sleep Well, and DJ Astral Violet, plus the Austin Witches Market. Tickets are $10, but if you’re an Aries, they’re only $5.

Deer Fellow at Radio Coffee & Beer – Saturday, March 25
Unraveling is the title of Deer Fellow’s new EP, and the indie folk-pop duo will be throwing a release show for it at Radio Coffee & Beer this Saturday, March 25. Support for the evening includes Redbud (solo), Aubrey Hays, and Elijah Delgado. This is a free show.

Futon Blonde at Chess Club – Thursday, March 30
Swing by Chess Club on Thursday, March 30, to help indie rockers Futon Blonde ring in the arrival of their new EP, Something That We’ve All Experienced Together Before. San Gabriel and Trumpeter Swan round out the bill. Tickets for the show are $10.

Glasshealer & Felt Out at Hotel Vegas – Friday, March 31
Hotel Vegas is set to host a double release show on Friday, March 31, as both Glasshealer and Felt Out will be celebrating having just put out brand new singles. God Shell will open for the co-headlining alternative acts. Tickets for the show are $10.

Lord Friday The 13th at Feels So Good – Saturday, April 1
Dust off your cassette player and head to Feels So Good on Saturday, April 1 for trash-glam-punk band Lord Friday the 13th’s tape release party for their Disaster Piece EP. Favor and Grocery Bag will kick off the show. Tickets for the show are $8 in advance, $10 the day of.

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