After a valiant search, the folks at H-E-B have completed their Quest for Texas Best. The annual competition considers products from small businesses around the state with the hopes of settling on a few to be sold in H-E-B stores. A Houston company, My Drink Bomb, placed third.
Four Houston companies were named finalists, but only My Drink Bomb secured one of the cash prizes. There were five winners overall, because the competition resulted in a grand prize and two companies tied for third. Austin's winning contestants were followed by businesses in McAllen, Dallas, and Houston.
Founded by Houston entrepreneur Chloe Di Leo, My Drink Bomb adds flavor to sparkling water or spirits without mixing. Each drink bomb is made with ingredients such as dried fruit and edible flowers, adding a touch of luxury to home entertaining.
Oca Foods won the grand prize for its peanut butter bites. Photo courtesy of H-E-B
Austin's Oca Foods won the grand prize, $50,000, for its peanut butter bites, which also come in a sugar-free recipe — and with only three ingredients in the original, that means all that's left is peanut butter and salt. They're inspired by a Brazilian snack, are bite-sized, and are wrapped individually, each packing three grams of protein.
Those simple snacks were followed by the similarly streamlined totopos (tortilla chips) and tortillas by Austin's Tozi Super Foods. They won first place and $25,000. The purple treats are made with heirloom blue corn and organic amaranth; the chips also contain sea salt and non-GMO avocado oil.
Tozi Superfoods Tortillas and Tortilla Chips won first place. Photo courtesy of H-E-B
In second place ($15,000) was Deli Spices from McAllen, with a birria spice mix — almost the same thing that won the grand prize for an Austin company in 2024. This South Texas company packages its mix in a big bag recommended to season six pounds of meat.
Deli Spices won second place for their birria mix.Photo courtesy of H-E-B
Tying My Drink Bomb for third place ($10,000 each) was spices by Spicytude. The Dallas-based company specializes in Indian spice kits, made for dishes like tikka masala, butter chicken, biryani, and vindaloo.
These five companies triumphed over more than 370 competitors, and the five finalists that didn't win numbered prizes did win a nice perk: $5,000. Three are based in the Houston area:
- 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, ready-to-heat, Vietnamese pork rolls created by a family-owned company with a 35-year history
Texans will have to be on the lookout for these products on grocery shelves. When they become available, shoppers can check out this Quest for Texas Best list online to see them and other past winners that are still available for sale.
