H-E-B recently announced its finalists for the 11th annual Quest for Texas Best competition and representing the Border Region is La Pale Frozen Fruit Bar. Owners Daisy and Gerardo Alcazar will join nine other Texas-based finalists in the coming days in Dallas, competing for a combined $70,000 in cash prizes and a chance at placement on H-E-B’s shelves.
Launched in 2019, Gerardo and Daisy Alcazar embraced a family tradition of making paletas and opened their first shop in the Rio Grande Valley in Brownsville. La Pale manufactures popsicles, ice cream, fresh fruit waters, and many other treats, including Mexican-Style Mini Paletas. Made from natural fruits, these mini paletas are dairy-free, vegan and gluten-free, with sugar-free and keto options available. Flavors include mango-chamoy, lime, chamoy, strawberry, watermelon, mango and more.
Over the past few months, H-E-B’s Business Development Managers have reviewed more than 16 hours of video submissions from 470 creative entrepreneurs from more than 118 cities across the Lone Star State.
Joining La Pale Frozen Fruit Bar as 2024 H-E-B Quest for Texas Best finalists are:
- BeeKing’s – Honey Dust – Canton
- Birria Queen – Birria Seasoning Bombs – Austin
- Certified Country Lemonade – Frozen Lemonade & Sweet Tea – Austin
- Encina – Blue Corn Butterscotch Pancake Mix – Dallas
- Hess Street Foods – Chorizo seasoning paste – Utopia
- HydroNation – Natural Sports Drinks – Dallas
- Marasi Foods – Frozen Filled Naan Bread – Dallas
- Sarape Treats – Chamoy Candy – Dallas
- Texas Rice Milling ~ Home of Honestly Texas – Rice – Brookshire
On Aug. 9 at Fair Park, the finalists will present their products and share their stories in front of a panel of judges selected by H-E-B. The judges will determine the four winning products and award $25,000 to the Grand Prize winner. The winner will also receive the designation of the “Texas Best” and earn placement on store shelves. The first-place winner will receive $20,000, $15,000 to the second-place winner and $10,000 to the third-place winner.
Since the launch of the competition in 2014, more than 1,000 unique food items, beverages, and general merchandise have made it to store shelves at H-E-B. For the annual competition, H-E-B has awarded $2.2 million in prize money along with marketing, mentoring and supplemental support. H-E-B has also presented 55 Quest for Texas Best suppliers with a commemorative H-E-B Million Dollar Club belt buckle for achieving $1 million in sales.