Renato Raposo, owner of Oca Foods, took home the Grand Prize. (Courtesy H-E-B)
Grab-and-go snacks, easy cocktails, and spice packets were the stars at H-E-B’s Quest for Texas Best award ceremony, where five Texas businesses were awarded a collective $110,000 to help grow their small ventures.
Each year, 10 finalists present their products to a panel of judges, who then pick their four favorites. This year, five winners were selected due to a tie for third place.
This contest promises prize money and an opportunity for placement on H-E-B shelves—a huge chance to get exposure with a wider audience. The five finalists not picked in the end are still awarded a $5,000 prize.
Nearly 400 entrepreneurs submitted their products for consideration this year, which ranged from cookies, coffee, pickles, and pho to other items such as beauty products, gardening tools, and cleaning supplies.
“This competition is about more than just awarding prize money—it is about discovering new ideas, fueling local and small business growth, and bringing unique Texas products to H-E-B shelves,” said H-E-B’s James Harris, the Senior Director of Diversity & Inclusion and Supplier Diversity.
Five winners were chosen in H-E-B’s Quest for Texas Best. (Courtesy H-E-B)
The winners are:
- Tied Third Place Spicytude, from Dallas
- Tied Third Place: My Drink Bomb, from Houston
- Second Place: Deli Spices, from McAllen
- First Place: Tozi Super Foods, from Austin
- Grand Prize: Oca Foods, from Austin
“We are the best Texas-made product according to H-E-B,” Oca Foods owner Renato Raposo said excitedly in an Instagram video.
Applications for Quest for Texas Best 2026 are likely to open in March of next year.
