- Texans love local grocery chain H-E-B.
- The store has been around for over 100 years.
- It’s known for its cafe serving build-your-own pizzas and sandwiches, excellent produce selection, and own-brand products.
Texans can’t get enough of H-E-B.
The 100-year old grocery chain, which has 340 stores across Texas and Mexico, was recently voted the third best grocery store in the US in an annual survey of almost 13,000 shoppers, conducted by the consumer insights firm Market Force Information.
The store came into the limelight on Friday after it launched a limited-edition reusable bag featuring late Tejano singer, Selena, which sold out almost immediately.
The bags, which were originally sold for $2, were then posted on to eBay for as much as $50.
This chain has been providing a superior shopping experience for much longer than Whole Foods and is known for its gourmet cooked food and fresh bakery section.
Here's what it's like to shop there:
Produce section
The produce section at H-E-B has more than 1000 items. The gorgeous fruits and vegetables are known to be fresh and impeccably stacked.
Also, you can weigh and label your own produce for faster checkout.
Good quality meat
Customers love the store's meat selection- one Yelp reviewer described it as "outstanding," and reasonably priced.
Fresh seafood
There's a specialty seafood counter which stocks an array of fresh shellfish and fish.
Private label selection
H-E-B is known for its excellent private label collection, which includes lower-cost and organic products.
"I like HEB brands. Most store brands I don't like BUT HEB brands are good," one customer wrote on Facebook.
Beer and wine selection
H-E-B has an extensive selection of traditional, craft, and Texas brews.
Wine fans rave about the awesome variety at reasonable prices.
Fresh bakery
There's a fresh bakery section, where you can have cakes custom-made for an event.
Whataburger products
H-E-B carries snack products and condiments from the beloved Texas fast-food chain, Whataburger.
Texan products
The store stocks lots of local Texas products, including Texas-shaped chips and special BBQ sauces.
Great customer service
H-E-B is highly ranked as a place to work, thanks to great benefits and a strong company culture. Many customers write that customer service there is superior compared to other grocery chains.
Foods for allergies
The store has a ton of options for customers with food allergies.
Cafe
The store's cafe puts others to shame, featuring creative salads and artisanal sandwiches, build-your-own pizzas with ingredients from Italy, and even BBQ cooked food. You can box it up and take it home or sit in with a glass of wine and beer.
Flowers
You can order flowers online or browse the flower and shrub department in stores.
In some locations, you can even commission a florist to create floral arrangements for weddings.