San Antonio business owner wins first prize at H-E-B’s Quest for Texas Best competition

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio business owner is celebrating a huge win at this week’s H-E-B Quest for Texas Best competition.

Maria Flores, the owner of Hess Street Foods, was named the first-prize winner for her chorizo seasoning paste and Mexican chorizo seasoning.

H-E-B said Flores is also taking home $20,000 and will have her products sold at its grocery stores within the next 1-2 months.

Her chorizo-flavored paste and seasoning were among the top 10 finalists at the annual competition, which is now in its 11th year.

Flores said she started her business as a tribute to her grandparents.

“I wanted to keep my grandmother’s, my Abuelita’s, recipe alive and started trying to recreate her recipe,” Flores told KSAT before she won first prize.

Flores’ grandparents momentarily moved to San Antonio and bought a home on Hess Street before they returned to Coahuila, Mexico. She said the product is a way to honor them and their American Dream.

“I cannot help but think, ‘Hey, Grandpa and Grandma, can you see this? You did it. You did it,’” Flores said.

There were four winners at the Quest for Texas Best competition. The winner of the grand prize — and a $25,000 check — went to Austin business owner Donelle Mendoza for her Birria Seasoning Bombs.

The second-place winner went to Meredith Sears & Family’s Certified Country Lemonade from Austin. The family also took home $15,000.

The third-prize winner went to Dallas’ Matt Balke and Hannah Davis for their Blue Corn Butterscotch Pancake Mix. Balke and Davis will also take their $10,000 prize winnings back to North Texas, the grocery chain said.

Flores sells her products at the New Braunfels Farmers Market every weekend and once a month at the Bulverde Farmers Market.

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