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4 Houston companies make top 10 of H-E-B's annual Texas product face-off

It's time to update your grocery list. After spending months assessing hours of video submissions, San Antonio grocer H-E-B has narrowed down the finalists for the annual Quest for Texas Best competition. Ten innovative Texas entrepreneurs were chosen from 370 entries from 150 Lone Star cities, including four in the greater Houston area.

Now in its 12th year, the contest asks Texas small businesses to strut their stuff for the chance to win a combined $100,000 in cash prizes and the coveted opportunity to feature their products on H-E-B shelves statewide. Since the competition's beginning, the grocer has discovered over 1,000 unique products, many of which have become some of Texans' favorite household essentials.

"Quest for Texas Best is not only designed to find the best Texas-made products, but also to empower local entrepreneurs with the resources, exposure, and mentorship they need to grow," said James Harris, H-E-B senior director of diversity & inclusion and supplier diversity, in a release. "H-E-B was once a small business, so we understand the power and potential they can have, and we cannot wait to share the winning selections with our customers."

Four Houston-area companies are still in the running for the prize. They are:

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 — My Drink Bomb Cocktail Mixers, low-calorie bombs that can make sparkling water into an instant mixed drink, with or without alcohol
Houston — Long Phung Food Products, ready-to-heat, Vietnamese pork rolls created by a family-owned company with a 35-year history

Other hopefuls are scattered across the state, including:

McAllen — Deli Spices Cooking Spices, easy Mexican spice blends made with dried chiles for restaurant cooking at home
Boerne — Klein Smokehaus uses old-world techniques and local oak trees to create handcrafted bacon
Bryan — Rigo's Dairy Latin-Style Cheese, a family-run cheese plant bringing Venezuelan flavors to the U.S.
Austin — Oca Foods Peanut Butter Bites, an addictive snack inspired by a beloved childhood treat in Brazil
Austin — Tozi Superfoods Tortillas and Tortilla Chips, snacks made from indigenous superfoods like amaranth and blue corn
Dallas — Spicytude Spices, flavor kits meant to take the guesswork out of Southern Indian cooking

The final contenders will face off on September 25 at H-E-B's headquarters in San Antonio, where judges will determine the top four winning products and award $50,000 to the Grand Prize winner and the "Texas Best" title — an honor that guarantees placement on H-E-B store shelves.

The first-place winner will receive $25,000, the second-place winner will receive $15,000, and the third-place winner will receive $10,000.

Since 2014, H-E-B has handed out $2.75 million in prize money to Texas entrepreneurs, providing marketing, mentoring, and supplemental support along the way. Fifty-five Texas small businesses have achieved $1 million in sales and earned a commemorative H-E-B Million Dollar Club belt buckle.

Photo courtesy of H-E-B

Long Phung Food Products.

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2-acre Houston patio bar rebrands with new name and family-friendly menu

Photo by Sean Rainer

The bar's patio includes 10,000-square-feet of turf.

A bar in Houston’s Near Northside neighborhood is switching things up with a new name and revised menu. Effectively immediately, Woodland Social is now known as White Oak Social.

Simply put, the new name is designed to end confusion about the bar’s location, which many people assumed was in The Woodlands. In fact, it’s located next to popular concert venue White Oak Music Hall, which is reflected in the new name.

“We wanted a name that truly represented where we are and the community we serve,” the bar’s owners said in a statement. “Many guests thought we were located in The Woodlands, so renaming the business to White Oak Social makes our location clear and aligns our brand with the neighborhood we love.”

Along with the new name comes a few improvements. They include an outdoor playground that’s designed to appeal to area families, many of whom are already regulars.

In addition, the restaurant has broadened its menu. While pizzas still remain, White Oak Social now offers burgers, chicken tenders, more entrees, and a kids menu. An all-new brunch menu includes updated cocktails and more options for kids.

Piper’s Hospitality Group (Preslee’s Southern Good Eatery) opened Woodland Social in 2024. Originally named for the Woodland Heights neighborhood, the two-acre property has an 8,000-square-foot main bar area, a 15,000-square-foot outdoor patio that includes 10,000-square-feet of turf, and more than 100 parking spaces.

“We’re excited for this next chapter,” the group said. “The new name, the expanded menu, and the playground show our commitment to being a neighborhood gathering place for all ages.”

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