'Nutty' Montgomery company a finalist in HEB Quest for Texas competition

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas -- H-E-B has scoured the Lone Star State in search of the most delectable culinary creations from talented Texans with a flair for food. After tasty deliberations, 25 finalists were selected from more than 700 entrepreneurs from nearly 140 cities and towns across the state. The finalists will go head-to-head in the fifth annual Quest for Texas Best competition August 9-10 at the Central Texas Food Bank in Austin.

“Over the past five years of this competition, we have tasted more than 2,700 of the most creative Texas-based food and beverages in pursuit of Texas’ very best, selecting 125 finalists since 2014,” said James Harris, Director, Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity, H-E-B. “Each year keeps us on our toes with innovative products, and this year is no exception. We are proud to continue a program that gives small business owners the opportunity to share their pride and joy with H-E-B shoppers across the state.”

The top 25 finalists will present their creations to a panel of expert judges, who will select four winners based on quality, marketability, and product readiness. Winners will receive a combined $70,000 in cash prizes and sought-after space on H-E-B shelves. H-E-B will award the Grand Prize winner $25,000, the coveted title of “Texas Best” Primo Pick and placement on store shelves; the first-place winner $20,000; the second-place winner $15,000; and the third-place winner $10,000. To celebrate the fifth anniversary, in addition to the $25,000, this year’s Grand Prize winner will also get the keys to a brand-new Toyota Tundra.

The 2018 Quest for Texas Best finalists are:

• 1885 Coffee Co.
• 38 Pecans
• Afia Foods
• Barbecue Wife
• Bellefontaine
• Bellville Meat Market
• Bernard’s Gourmet Foods
• BIG Little Fudge
• Cappadona Ranch
• Chef Rey Inc.
• Collin Street Bakery
• Deanan Gourmet Popcorn
• Deep River Specialty Foods
• Loving Libbie Memorial Foundation
• Mad Hectic Oatmeal
• Maika Foods
• Mirth Soup
• mmmpanadas
• Nuts and Cows
• Pennymade
• Pretty Thai
• Sing and Shout Foods
• Texas Black Gold Garlic
• Tiny House Coffee
• Tio Pelon’s Salsita LLC

This year’s competition generated a delicious mix of brews, breads, falafel, fudge, sauces, soups, sausage and sweets. Throughout two qualifying rounds, H-E-B Business Development Managers selected submissions on taste and flavor, customer appeal, value, uniqueness, market potential, and differentiation from products already available at most H-E-B stores.

The Quest for Texas Best is a signature program for H-E-B’s Primo Picks brand, which labels best-in-store products that are all unique, delicious, and new. Since its inception in 2014, the Quest for Texas Best competition has yielded more than 432 new products on H-E-B’s grocery, bakery, deli and market shelves across the state.