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There’s Still Time to Participate in the State Fair of Texas!
The State Fair of Texas will open soon, bringing 24 days of fun, food and unique experiences. The GO TEXAN Pioneer Brand General Store, inside of the Texas Department of Agriculture's (TDA) Food and Fiber Pavilion sponsored by Southwest Dairy Farmers, is the largest collection of Texas-made products on the Fairgrounds, and your product could be included, but space is running out. The State Fair of Texas runs from September 25 to October 18. While your product will be there for 24 days, you don't have to be there to staff the store — the shelving, stocking and selling will be done for you. Visit the GO TEXAN website or contact us at (512) 463-7469 for more information.
Click here to check out a recent interview with GO TEXAN member Texas Teas on participating with GO TEXAN inside the Food and Fiber Pavilion at the State Fair of Texas.
Sign up now. We have space available for our GO TEXAN General Store, Exhibitors, Product Showcase, Stage Events and Community Spotlight.
The registration deadline is August 14, after which a late fee of $25 per shelf will apply.
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GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up
Served Up Texas-Grown Food
and Strengthened Member Relationships
More than 120 GO TEXAN restaurants came together in July to spotlight local, Texas-sourced foods and beverages. The 2015 GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up was a roaring success with Texans across the state enjoying some of the best food, beer and wine that Texas has to offer.
This year, Restaurant Round-Up focused on creating partnerships between GO TEXAN restaurant members and GO TEXAN product members. Special product tasting events at restaurants, menu features for product members and product-specific festivals occurred across the state, partnering more than 60 product members with restaurants. Now that’s working together! Check out some of the partnership events and start thinking about how you can get involved next year.
Every year, the GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up highlights a year-round way of life for the participating restaurants that includes: networking with local farmers, producers, wineries and others to bolster vitality in local economies by using fresh, locally-grown products. All restaurants involved also donated to local food banks after the event.
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GO TEXAN Success Story:
Dallas Kosher
Dallas Kosher knows the benefits of a recognized symbol. The letter "K" in their logo signifies that the food it marks is kosher. This is a valuable mark to have on a food product, as this segment of the food market is booming. KosherFest, the largest kosher trade-show in the world, sets the value of the kosher food market at more than $12.5 billion. Kosher is no longer a niche segment. With Fortune 500 companies such as Nabisco, P&G, M&M and Mars among others committed to being kosher, it’s no wonder it’s “in” to be kosher today.
While most might associate kosher with the Jewish religion, this is not what kosher means. Kosher is a Hebrew word meaning “fit.” It is a set of scriptural dietary guidelines followed by people of the Jewish faith, Muslims and some Christian groups such as Seventh Day Adventists.
Dallas Kosher is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1963 and provides kosher certification for food manufacturers in the Southwest. “We are the oldest and largest kosher certification agency in the Southwest,” said executive director Miranda Winer. “We pride ourselves on service, professionalism and expertise. We are proud to serve Texas and have the unique ability to market our partner products to kosher consumers in the region.”
Dallas Kosher has taken strong advantage of the networking opportunities that the GO TEXAN program provides. “We are about developing relationships with our vendor clients,” said Winer. “GO TEXAN allows us to network and build our connections and relationships with food manufacturers in the region. This year we have been able to reach out to over 600 fellow GO TEXAN members and have cultivated multiple relationships that would not have happened without GO TEXAN. I would encourage GO TEXAN members to think broadly about how to connect with fellow members – whether it be suppliers, co-packers, even competitors. You never know how an initial connection can benefit you. We're all in Texas together and we might as well be partners!”
In many types of manufacturing, products may already be kosher or close to it. For some companies, there are only small changes in ingredients to kosher suppliers before they can be certified. If you want to explore the potential for kosher certification of your product, contact Dallas Kosher about partnering with them to increase your market share. Click here for more information.
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Members in the News
Arro was spotlighted in the article, “My Favorite French Restaurants in Austin,” on The Hungry Chronicles.
The GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up was highlighted in Opal Divine’s newsletter.
Congratulations to Hot Line Pepper Products, who were just awarded the 2015 Best of Spring Award in the Food/Beverages category by the Spring Award Program.
Karbach was highlighted in a sarcastically-titled article, “The 19 Worst Restaurant Decisions You Can Make in Houston,” on Thrillist, with the “worst decision” being “Eating before you get to Karbach.”
Noble Coyote was spotlighted in the article, “The 10 Best Iced Coffees in and Around Dallas,” on Central Track.
Pappas Bros., Cadillac Pizza Pub and Taverna Rossa were all featured on WFAA during GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up.
Ranger Creek was spotlighted in the article, “15 Actually Great San Antonio Date Ideas,” on Thrillist.
Real Ale was spotlighted on Thrillist.
SASS Fresh Dressings was highlighted in the Austin American-Statesman.
Texas Coffee Traders was featured in a news segment on MyFox Austin.
Much applause goes to Texas South Wind, who won Silver Medals at the Texsom International Wine Competition.
Times Ten Cellars was highlighted on Thrillist as one of “the 10 Best Wine Bars in Dallas.”
Congrats to Wedding Oak and Brennan Vineyards, which both won Double Gold Medals at the 35th Annual San Francisco International Wine Competition. YourHoustonNews also announced these other medal winners: Becker Vineyards, Bernhardt Winery, Blue Ostrich and Fall Creek Winery.
Yaga’s Café and Mosquito Café are both listed in the article, “74 Excellent Reasons to go to Galveston,” on Thrillist, which also includes a reference to the Galveston Island Wild Texas Shrimp Festival, sponsored by Doguet’s Rice Mill and Galveston Shrimp Company.
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Mark Your Calendar
What: 2015 Export Seminar
When: September 10
Where: Houston
Details: If you are interested in taking your product worldwide, join the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Southern U.S. Trade Association (SUSTA) for a free export seminar. Participants will learn the steps to successful exporting, meet one-on-one with the sponsoring organizations, hear from experts and learn how to take advantage of USDA international programs. For more information, visit the SUSTA website or contact Erinn Wright at (512) 475-0338 or Kristin Core at (504) 568-5986.
What: Food, Wine & Brew Fest
When: September 12
Where: Harker Heights
Details: Live music, chefs, food, artists, breweries, homebrew demos, Texas wineries, a Wine 101 class and much more. The vendor fee for GO TEXAN members is $75. For more information, call (254) 699-4999.
What: Dripping With Taste
When: September 12, 12-6 p.m.
Where: Dripping Springs
Details: Festival showcasing Texas wineries, breweries, distilleries, restaurants, chefs, caterers, artisans, and musicians! The most "tastes" of Texas under one roof. Come join us at noon and stay all day until 6pm. For more information, contact Pam Owen at (512) 858-4740.
What: Antique Alley Texas
When: September 18-20
Where: Grandview
Details: Antique Alley Texas is a unique event that features over 30 miles of shopping. The communities of Grandview, Alvarado, Maypearl, Sand Flat and Cleburne all participate together. In between these communities are a plethora of privately operated, independent shows ranging from simple yard sales to more than 100 vendors lined up, row-to-row in private pastures. GO TEXAN members will receive a vendor discount for participating. For more information, contact Nita Redmon at (817) 240-4948.
What: Galveston Island Wild Texas Shrimp Festival
When: September 25-27
Where: Galveston
Details: GO TEXAN members are invited to sample, display and sell their products at this event in Galveston's Historic Strand District. Booth fees are $400 for Friday through Sunday vending and $200 for Saturday only. Vendors need to supply their own tent, table, chairs and health permit. Last year’s event attendance exceeded 15,000 people. For more information, contact Elizabeth Matthews at (409) 770-0999.
What: Texas Reds Steak and Grape Festival
When: September 26-27
Where: Historic Downtown Bryan
Details: The Downtown Bryan Association is gearing up for the ninth annual Texas Reds Steak & Grape Festival in Historic Downtown Bryan, Texas. This year’s festival will attract visitors from across the state of Texas and feature over 20 Texas wineries, numerous craft breweries, and more than 30 bands performing on five different stages, talented artists from across the country, the annual steak cook-off, the popular Kids Zone, and a variety of food vendors. Thanks to a partnership with Bryan’s own J. Cody’s Steaks and Barbecue, the beef will be back in a big way at the 2015 Texas Reds Festival. For more information on participating, contact Ashley Girard at (979) 822-4920.
What: R.C. Morgan Scholarship Endowment Fund Golf Tournament
When: September 28
Where: Butterfield Trail Golf Club, El Paso
Details: This golf tournament raises funds for the GECU Foundation, who awards deserving high school students with financial assistance to attend college through the R.C. Morgan Scholarship Endowment Fund, established in 1988 at UTEP's College of Business. GECU is looking for GO TEXAN members that may want to donate products or promotional items in the player gift bags, as well as prizes. It's a great opportunity for networking and, of course, there is the opportunity to join the golf tournament as well. For more information, contact Stephanie Quiroz at (915) 774-8225.
What: Bites and Flights at West 7th
When: October 4, 2–6 p.m.
Where: Fort Worth
Details: Bites and Flights is the premier food and wine tasting event of West 7th, a hub for dining, shopping and entertainment just 2 miles west of downtown Fort Worth. Ten restaurants will participate by serving small bites and ten Texas wineries are being sought to provide tastings. The event is limited to 250 guests who will each receive five wine tasting coupons. The guest exchanges the coupon with a winery for a 2-ounce pour and the winery will receive a fifty-cent rebate per coupon collected to help offset costs. A commemorative tasting glass is provided to the guest and a table with tablecloth is provided to the winery. Wineries interested in participating should contact Angela Hall at (817) 810-9076.
What: IPM Dubai International Plants Expo
When: October 5-7
Where: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Details: If you are a producer of flowers, landscape plants, seeds, turfgrass, hydroponics or trees, you might want to attend this expo. The Middle East is one of the fastest growing markets in the world within the horticultural, flowers and plants industry. Dubai is developing into an important trade center for producing areas such as Africa, Asia and the consumer markets of UAE and Europe. The $850 fee includes a 100 square-foot booth within the SUSTA pavilion, interpreter services and SUSTA will reimburse each company up to $3,000 in shipping costs with proper documentation. For more information, contact Carlos Guerrero at (512) 463-6507.
What: Canada Outbound Seafood Trade Mission
When: October 6-7
Where: Toronto, Ontario
Details: Here is a great opportunity for the Texas Gulf shrimp industry and other Texas seafood. The U.S. is the No. 1 supplier to the Canadian import market for fish and seafood. Registering with SUSTA for this mission will allow you take advantage of a demanding market and meet one-on-one with qualified buyers interested in U.S. seafood. Participation fee is $400 and includes: pre-arranged one-on-one meetings with key buyers; on-site visits with importers/buyers and reimbursement for three nights hotel accommodation for one participant per company (hotel reimbursement within federal per diem rate with proper documentation during the dates of the mission). Registration deadline is August 14. For more information, visit the SUSTA website or contact Carlos Guerrero or Erinn Wright.
What: Fredericksburg Food and Wine Fest
When: October 24
Where: Marktplatz in downtown Fredericksburg
Details: This is the 25th anniversary of the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest. It is a full-course celebration of Texas food, wine, beer, music, specialty booths, food court and fun for all! Plus fabulous events: Friday's Celebration of Texas Food & Wine and Saturday's Patron Party on Marktplatz. Sponsored by the City of Fredericksburg, the proceeds go to the Market Square Improvement Project. There are still openings for Texas specialty food booths. Any interested GO TEXAN food member should contact Deborah Farquhar-Garner at (830) 997-8515 for an application.
What: 28th Annual Hogeye Festival
When: October 24
Where: Elgin
Details: The Hogeye Festival will feature over 120 artists with handcrafted wares, delicious food vendors, great music throughout the day and a wonderful children’s area with activities and games. It is advertised throughout central Texas and attracts up to 20,000 attendees each year. GO TEXAN members will receive a 20 percent discount on being a vendor. For more information, click here or email or call (512) 229-3217.
What: Hill Country Olive Fest
When: November 14, 12-7 p.m.
Where: Dripping Springs
Details: Rescheduled from the May date due to severe weather. Food and wine tasting, gourmet chefs, cooking classes with entertainment for the whole family. For vendor information, contact Cara Gambini at (512) 607-6512.
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Show Your Texas Pride: Wear GO TEXAN.
Did you know all GO TEXAN merchandise is always available at gotexan.org with free shipping? Go shopping and pick out some GO TEXAN apparel for your or your loved ones to wear and show the world that you GO TEXAN.
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Tell Your Story: Shine a Spotlight on Your Company
Would you like to see your GO TEXAN company featured in one of our publications (like this one)? Go here for information on how to send us your story for publication consideration.
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Spot the Mark
Want a fun way to share the best things in Texas with the world? It’s easy!
GO TEXAN uses social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn to post GO TEXAN events, share member news and increase the awareness for the wide variety of products grown or made right here in the Lone Star State.
Challenge: If you spot the GO TEXAN mark in public, let us know. Send us a picture of the GO TEXAN mark on a product, sign or printed materials and let us know where you saw it. You may send us that information by using the GO TEXAN Twitter hashtag (#GOTEXAN), so we can easily retweet your message or send us an e-mail.
And speaking of the GO TEXAN mark, as a valued member, please ensure you're using the correct GO TEXAN mark. We updated the mark to include a registration symbol (®) and all members should now be using the new mark.
If you don't have the latest version of the GO TEXAN mark, email us to get high-quality digital copies of the mark to use on your labels, merchandising materials, website and more.
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