5 Austin Finalists Make HEB's 'Quest For Texas Best' Competition

AUSTIN, TX — Five culinary masters from the Austin area are among the finalists for the annual "Quest For the Texas Best" competition launched by the HEB grocery store chain aimed at finding the most enticing food from across Texas.

According to company officials, more than 820 culinary creations from across 136 Texas cities were sampled to see if they would make the cut. The upshot: A quarter of all 20 applicants are from the Austin area.

Drum roll, please. The Austin-area finalists are:

• Smokey Denmark Sausage Company (Austin)
  • Big Bark Beer Sausages
• Uncle Ray’s Peanut Brittle (Austin)
  • Bacon, Hatch and Traditional Flavors
• Push Water Company (Dripping Springs)
  • Caffeinated Bottled Water
• EXO (Austin)
  • Whole Roasted Crickets and Protein Bars
• Basia’s Pickles (Hutto)
  • Small Batch Pickles

In their quest to win, the 20 finalists will present their entries to a panel of expert food judges so they can pick four winners among them. Food creations are based on myriad factors, including marketability, readiness and quality.

From that elite field, a grand prize winner will be chosen and awarded a $25,000 cash prize, the title of “Texas Best” and a prime piece of HEB store real estate in terms of shelving. The second prize winner will be awarded $20,000, third place wins $15,000 and fourth gets a cool $10,000.

"For the last five years, HEB has set out on a quest to find the best in Texas — the best local products made by Texans!" company officials wrote on the company website. "From the Panhandle to the Rio Grande Valley, from West Texas to Beaumont, the 'HEB Primo Picks: Quest for Texas Best' is an open call for locally owned, small food and beverage suppliers to have their items considered for placement on HEB shelves and $25,000 in your pocket!"

Finalists are scheduled to present their creations to the judges from Aug. 7-8 at the Houston Food Bank. Here's a video primer on the "Quest For the Texas Best" contest: