AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- H-E-B's
Primo Picks Quest for Texas Best judges narrowed the field of
25 finalists to just FIVE winners on Friday,
August 11 at the Central Texas Food Bank. Sascha Biesi
and Yauss Berenji (Skull & Cakebones Mocha Marmalade);
Bridget and Will McCoy
(Lorraine's Original Mini Texas Pecan Cakes); Dennis Butterworth (WarPig BBQ For Use on Butts
And Ribs Sauce); Adrian and Mariana
Paredes (Tamale Addiction' s Poblano and Muenster Cheese
Organic Masa Tamales); and Cariño Cortez and Michael Cortez (La Familia Cortez
Restaurants' Mi Tierra Salsa
Verde) are relishing the sweet taste of success and a
combined total of $90,000 in cash
prizes along with prime space on H-E-B store shelves in 2018.
"As we complete the fourth year of this statewide competition,
we continued to be impressed by the inventiveness, creativity and
phenomenal resolve that our fellow Texans showcase," said
James Harris, Director, Diversity
& Inclusion and Supplier Diversity, H-E-B. "Although only
five competitors walked away with a title and prize, Quest for
Texas Best is a win for all Texans. Small businesses have the
opportunity to grow with H-E-B and our customers enjoy added
variety and access to the best locally sourced products."
THE 2017 H-E-B PRIMO PICKS: QUEST FOR TEXAS BEST AWARD WINNERS
ARE:
Grand Prize Winner ($25,000 and featured placement as a Texas Best
Primo Pick):
Skull & Cakebones – Mocha
Marmalade
Sascha Biesi + Yauss Berenji - Austin, Texas
After Sascha Biesi discovered milk and eggs were the cause of her
infant daughter's persistent rash, she began a quest for delicious
foods sans the animal products. Enlisting the help of Yauss
Berenji, the two built Skull & Cakebones based on friendship,
their families' passion for food and a mission of making delicious
desserts without animal products (because if you can, why shouldn't
you?). Using the best local products on hand, Skull & Cakebones
presents a truly Texas-strong
dessert – Mocha Marmalade Chocolate layered with Cuvee Coffee
frosting and topped with Cuvee infused chocolate pudding.
TWO First Place Winners ($20,000 EACH):
The Texas Pecan Cake
Shop - Lorraine's Original Mini Texas Pecan Cakes
Bridget
+ Will McCoy - Bertram, Texas
Like the Lone Star
State, Bridget McCoy's Lorraine's
Original Mini Texas Pecan Cakes are one of a kind. Baked in the
iconic shape of Texas from a
secret family recipe, it is a pecan lover's dream. Made with 100%
Texas products from local growers,
loaded with pecans and held together with just enough flour and
sugar, it delivers the wonderful flavor of Mom's holiday baking
that can be enjoyed on any occasion. Every day is a cake day!
WarPig BBQ For Use on Butts And Ribs
Sauce
Dennis Butterworth -
Houston, Texas
Dennis Butterworth's BBQ sauce, For
Use on Butts And Ribs (F.U.B.A.R), is an elite sauce forged in the
trenches of barbecue competition. This award-winning sauce was
crafted by U.S. Army veterans to be the one and only sauce you need
in your arsenal. Whether you're a professional chef or a backyard
grill commando, For Use on Butts And Ribs' sweet, tangy flavor
bridges the gap for all barbecue palates.
Second Place Winner ($15,000):
Tamale Addiction's Poblano
& Muenster Cheese Organic Masa Tamales
Adrian +
Mariana Paredes - Austin, Texas
Destiny called
Adrian and Mariana Paredes in 2010.
They answered and unknowingly created a new tamale standard and
culture among aficionados. First entering the farmers' market
circuit with Mexican desserts, they redirected their efforts to
tamales. Today, Tamale Addiction is known for being fresh, organic,
local and delicious with five versions that include meat,
vegetarian, vegan, banana leaf and sweet tamales. By listening to
their customers' demand for an at-home option, they found a way to
share their destiny with all of Texas via a two-pack of organic masa tamales
filled with strips of roasted poblano pepper, fresh red salsa made
from chile de arbol, and melted muenster cheese.
Third Place Winner ($10,000):
La Familia Cortez
Restaurants' Mi Tierra Salsa Verde
Salsa
Cariño Cortez & Michael Cortez - San Antonio, Texas
The family of
Pedro Cortez - entrepreneur,
restaurateur and savior of San
Antonio's Market Square - committed themselves to preserving
the recipes that have been in the family since 1941, when the
patriarch opened his first eatery, Jamaica #5, and eventually Mi Tierra. Over the years, Pedro's sons and
grandsons have combined traditional Mexican cooking techniques with
the latest culinary advancements to safeguard Pedro's process,
ingredients and legacy. The family is intent on sharing this tasty
legacy with customers near and far with Mi
Tierra Salsa Verde – a secret mixture of oven roasted
tomatillos and a blend of spices that create a tangy salsa great
for enchiladas and more. Like they say, "salsa by choice, not by
chance."
The judges included Jeff Thomas,
Senior Vice President and General Manager, Central Texas Region;
Suzanne Wade, Corporate
Communications Officer; Jorge
Elizondo, Group Vice President, Customer Insights; Chef
Scott Tompkins, Senior Recipe
Developer and Technical Food Advisor; and Winell Herron, H-E-B Group Vice-President of
Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs. Judging
criteria included product quality, marketability and readiness for
production as well as the makers' suitability as retail
suppliers.
The 2017 Quest for Texas Best competition drew 565 entries from
more than 200 towns across the state. Through two qualifying
rounds, H-E-B Business Development Managers judged submissions on
taste and flavor, customer appeal, value, uniqueness, market
potential and differentiation from current products at most H-E-B
stores.
Among the finalists were nine entrepreneurs from the
Austin area; five from the
San Antonio and West Texas areas; two from the Dallas area; eight from Houston and one from the Rio Grande
Valley.
H-E-B Primo Picks invites customers to enjoy products that are
unique, delicious, and possibly new to their palates. As part of
H-E-B's commitment to providing local product options, H-E-B is the
single largest retailer of the GO Texan program with 908 own brand
items with the GO TEXAN watermark in stores throughout the
Lone Star state.
About H-E-B
H-E-B, with sales of more than
$23 billion, operates more than 380
stores in Texas and Mexico. Known for its innovation and community
service, H-E-B celebrated its 110th anniversary in 2015.
Recognized for its fresh food, quality products, convenient
services, and a commitment to environmental responsibility and
sustainability, H-E-B strives to provide the best customer
experience at everyday low prices. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs more than 100,000
Partners in Texas and Mexico and serves millions of customers in
more than 300 communities. For more information, visit heb.com.
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