One of the great obsessions that Texans hold dear is a grocery store called HEB.
The San-Antonio-based supermarket chain encompasses over 340 locations across the state of Texas and brings in droves of loyal customers. The company consistently lives up to its motto: “Here Everything’s Better.”
But not everyone "gets" what makes HEB so... well, better. Especially with new locations coming to Frisco, Plano and McKinney. Collin County folks have Central Market, the gourmet chain owned by HEB. Close, but still not the same as what we're about to get.
So what's the big deal?
Let us fill you in on four reasons why this grocery store gets a Texan's heart pumping, and why we can't wait until the Plano HEB and McKinney HEB are open!
1. Size and Scope
Thanks to its impressive size — the Plano and Frisco locations will be 110,000 square feet each — the grocery store provides customers with a number of options to suit their tastes and their dietary needs. The produce section includes over 900 varieties of fruits and vegetables.
HEB’s beer selection has an extensive array of traditional, craft and Texas brews, not to mention that they’re the largest wine retailer in Texas. The chain even has sampling stations for visitors to enjoy. In addition, customers praise the store’s variety of organic and gluten-free goods, all at a lower price than at competing retailers.
2. Restaurant-Quality Dining Options
Both Plano and Frisco locations will house the HEB trademark True Texas BBQ, drive-thru included. TTBQ is exclusive to HEB, and despite being located within a grocery store, it provides the full restaurant experience, with an ordering counter, tables and soda machines.
Select HEB locations also have fresh tortillas and salsa in house, while others have fully operational cafes to grab a drink on-the-go.
Texas Monthly named it the best barbecue chain in Texas, and Thrillist named it one of the best in the nation. Customers swear by their brisket sandwiches, peach cobbler, loaded macaroni and cheese, cornbread, Frito pie and other Southern delicacies.
3. Employee Benefits
HEB placed tenth on Glassdoor’s 2021 Best Places to Work list, which was compiled from anonymous reviews from employees then ranked based on overall rating. Each employer was evaluated on a five-point scale, and HEB received an overall ranking of 4.4. 90% of employees said they would recommend the company to a friend, and 96% approved of the Chairman and CEO Charles Butt.
In 2021, Glassdoor placed extra emphasis on how companies handled the COVID-19 pandemic and whether they prioritized the health and well-being of their staff. This is incredibly exciting for Collin County. The Plano location plans on hiring 425 employees and will be posting positions online within the coming months.
4. HEB Celebrates Texas Pride
HEB store brand’s slogan is “Made for the love of Texans,” and how better to encapsulate that love than with tortilla chips, hunks of cheese and frying pans crafted in the shape of the Lone Star State.
The store's products are essentially a love letter to Texas, from how they look to how the ingredients are sourced. HEB corn products are made from corn harvested in the Hondo Corn Farm in Hondo, Texas. The shrimp comes from the Gulf via Bowers Shrimp Farm in Galveston, and the “Mootopia” milk is sourced from dairy farms in San Antonio.
The grocery chain even carries Whataburger fries and condiments — two Texas essentials in one!
If you want to know more about H-E-B, here's Local Profile's report on their business model.