H-E-B:: Proving Once Again That Everything is Bigger and Better in Texas

There’s no denying that Texans have a very unique fascination with H-E-B and scoff at people who refer to it as “just a grocery store”. I happen to be a Texan whose love for H-E-B runs so deep that I mention it in my Houston Moms Blog profile {seriously…if you don’t believe me, check it out} and I once camped outside the {re} grand opening of my local Kingwood H-E-B in a RV with about a dozen girlfriends wearing custom made H-E-B t-shirts in January of 2018 when it reopened after flooding during Hurricane Harvey. To mark the occasion, I even purchased a set of red jumbo 28 inch scissors from Amazon and somehow convinced Scott McClelland {the President of H-E-B} that he needed a ribbon cutting ceremony that included all of us to officially re-open the store {he was a TERRIFIC sport about it and played along as if all of us were NOT certifiably insane}. As you can see from my photo with Scott, I have absolutely zero chill around him and sent that picture to pretty much every person I knew that afternoon as if I had just met an A-list celebrity {because in my mind, I had!}.

So what is it about our beloved H-E-B that Texans find so irresistible? Why do we consider it so much more than just a grocery store and why do we do the crazy things we do to spread the gospel to non-Texans that H-E-B is by far the greatest grocery store on the planet?

Texas Pride

H-E-B seems to have an endless supply of all things Texan. Need Texas shaped tortilla chips? No problem. Need Texas shaped place mats, ice cube trays or Texas pecan flavored coffee? They’ve got you covered. There’s no shortage of products made locally in Texas at H-E-B which is the quickest way to any true Texan’s heart. H-E-B’s Quest for Texas Best is just one example of H-E-B’s efforts to support locally owned small food and beverage suppliers, which is something all Texans can definitely get behind.

Shopping Experience

H-E-B boasts “Here Everything’s Better” and boy are they ever! From the friendly employees {affectionately referred to as “Partners”, but more on that next…} to the Cooking Connection station and wine tasting area, everything about the shopping experience at H-E-B is fabulous and makes you feel like a real VIP while strutting through the aisles. Even our kids feel like VIPs when they spend those H-E-B Buddy Bucks and get to spin the big wheel {hoping they’re an instant winner!} or when they are handed cookies or treats when their parents pull up for Curbside service. And who can overlook that fabulous Customer Service desk where you can literally take care of business while you shop?

Quality is also #1 for H-E-B. From the meat counter to the produce section and even the bakery and floral departments, you can always find top notch items that just aren’t offered at other stores. There’s a reason that local chefs frequent the H-E-B meat counter and those of us who aren’t as gifted at baking frequently entrust the bakery with cakes and baked goods for our most special occasions. H-E-B is simply better.

Speaking of quality and taste, if you were to poll a few Texans on their favorite H-E-B products you’d learn these are a few of our favorite things::

• True Texas BBQ – BBQ that fell from the clouds of Heaven!  Recently voted “Best Barbecue Chain in Texas” by Texas Monthly.  Did I mention they also have local craft beer flights available to pair with your BBQ?!
• Guacamole – The best around!  Most Texans swear they could eat it by the pound {and some do!}.
• Rotisserie Chicken Salad – The secret is the shredded rotisserie chicken and not the canned stuff “others” use.  Don’t embarrass yourself by hosting a bridal or baby shower without this fan fave as part of your spread.
• Tortillas – In-store made and ridiculously delicious!
• Chocolate hummus – Don’t knock it until you try it…it’s amazing on fruit, pretzels, nuts, etc!
• Cheese balls – Is it even a party without a H-E-B cheese ball?!
• Select Ingredients – Just look for the green checkmark to find over 1,000 {!!!} products without artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup, certified colors, and hundreds of other synthetic ingredients.  What’s a mom to not love about that?!
• Meal Simple options – The dinner dilemma answer for busy moms everywhere!  Fresh and delicious meals for your family with virtually no effort.
• Café Ole flavored coffees – Texas Pecan or Houston Blend, anyone?

HEB “Partners”

H-E-B refers to all of their employees as “Partners” which as a Human Resources professional, I happen to love. Not only does it demonstrate a sign of genuine respect for its people, but it is also a true testament to the culture of the company. Everyone is a true partner. Aside from how genuinely nice and down to earth H-E-B partners are, the thing that Texans love most about partners is that no request seems too outlandish or too much work for any of them. I know a fellow mom who was pregnant and famously asked her local H-E-B bakery if she could buy a tub of their Elite icing to satisfy her cravings and they made it happen {without judgement!}. I’ve personally called a H-E-B store in a panic on Christmas Eve because I forgot to add something to my Curbside order that would have ruined Christmas dinner if I didn’t have it. A partner from my Kingwood store saved the day and went to grab that item herself and made sure my Curbside shopper put it with the rest of my order. H-E-B partners always rise to the challenge and Texans can’t get enough.

Community Advocates and Humanitarian Heroes

A story about H-E-B would not be complete if it didn’t mention the company’s community & humanitarian efforts. Whether the company is joining forces to help reunite a little boy with his stuffed animal or hosting a special birthday party for a local boy with Autism, H-E-B is always going out of their way to give back to the community and make people feel special. Going above and beyond for the communities it serves even extends to natural disasters and believe it or not, H-E-B actually has a “Disaster Preparedness Department” that springs into action when things turn ugly with Mother Nature. The efforts H-E-B went to during Hurricane Harvey back in 2017 cannot be described as anything less than awe-inspiring considering the fact that a grocery store morphed into a disaster relief organization virtually overnight. Harvey’s impact here in Kingwood was absolutely devastating and our beloved local H-E-B sustained significant flood damage, resulting in the store being closed for just shy of five months. However, H-E-B made sure that mobile kitchens and supply convoys were put into place during the storm and immediately after to help the community recover and get back on its feet again. For those of us who live here, that made an everlasting impact and gained H-E-B customers for life.

I haven’t even mentioned H-E-B’s scholarship programs for local schools and students or their hilarious TV commercials with the Houston Texans and the Houston Astros, but hopefully you get my point about H-E-B being truly amazing and so much more than your average grocery store.  So the next time someone refers to H-E-B as “just another grocery store”, I hope you’ll school them on the many ways H-E-B is the greatest grocery store on the planet!