GO TEXAN Showcases Local Businesses Big and Small
Since 1999, GO TEXAN, a program from the Texas Department of Agriculture, has shined a light on many Texas businesses both big and small. Whether those companies include aromatic candles crafted in a small communal space or hearty Texas brews produced in a multi-thousand-square-foot building, GO TEXAN is committed to one meaningful and impactful purpose: showcasing the talent that is Texas craftsmanship and connecting those businesses with customers across the state and around the world. To date, GO TEXAN has 2,000 partners, and that number grows every year.
“We like to do things bigger, and more importantly, better here in the Lone Star State. It makes sense we would have a program showcasing all that our state has to offer,” Maddison Jaureguito, Texas Department of Agriculture communications officer, says. “The GO TEXAN marketing campaign is more than the promotion of a brand: It’s the confirmation of the passion Texans feel for our state. No other state can match the sense of pride we have for Texas.”
Many consumers are familiar with GO TEXAN and may not even know it. The unmistakable, easily identifiable mark graces many Texas-made products featured in such places as H-E-B, livestock shows and rodeos, the GO TEXAN Pavilion at the State Fair of Texas and more. Simply put, Jaureguito says, Texans want to buy from other Texans because they know the quality is there: “We have been able to convert feelings into sales for producers and manufacturers, revenue for our state and jobs for Texans. Consumers know if they’re looking for the best, they want to GO TEXAN.”
To join GO TEXAN, businesses can apply online and have access to a variety of services and grants through different price points, starting at $100 annually and going up from there. The perks of being a partner include free product photography services, features on social media platforms, discounted advertising space and discounted event space in places like stock shows and rodeos, international food shows, the GO TEXAN Pavilion at State Fair of Texas and much more.
In fact, according to Mike Mercado, owner of Brazos River Provisions, there are so many programs and opportunities available through GO TEXAN that no business could possibly take advantage of them all. “They’re constantly rolling out new opportunities, tools and vehicles,” Mercado says. “There’s always something new.”
The experience of being a GO TEXAN partner has been one of a thrill for Mercado. Brazos River Provisions, which sells a selection of jams, jellies and salsas, has developed an impressive footprint in part because of GO TEXAN’s exposure.
Currently, Brazos River Provisions’ goods are sold in such stores as H-E-B, Bering’s, Spec’s and Buc-ee’s. “People from different states and countries come up to our booths at shows like the Rodeo, and it helps us create brand awareness,” Mercado says. “People love getting a product from Texas and taking it back with them to places like Scotland, Australia and all over the pond and giving it to a friend or family member. That’s a special experience for us.”
Rachel Cutrer, owner of Brahman Country Beef, says the GO TEXAN program has allowed her and her family to focus on raising Brahman cattle and not stress about handling all the marketing, advertising and business-expansion tasks on their own. Cutrer says through GO TEXAN, she and her family have been able to successfully market their business and get into places like farmers markets and food-delivery service companies.
“The Texas Department of Agriculture has always been a trusted partner to us, and when we started our beef business we were somewhat lost in the beginning. We had an idea and we were willing to put the work in, but we needed some guidance in terms of business development, marketing, retail ideas, and that’s why we turned to the GO TEXAN team because they can help us with things like design, working with stores and photographing a product so it looks more appealing. We know how to raise cattle, but we needed some help in the marketing and promotional aspect of everything. It has really expanded the visibility of our business,” she says.
What’s more, Cutrer and her family hope to open a farm-to-table retail store in the next year, featuring their beef as well as other GO TEXAN products. In fact, the pride Cutrer feels in GO TEXAN has inspired the decision to include other Texas-made products in the store. “Being in the GO TEXAN program adds a big layer of business credibility and has opened up so many doors to new opportunities that we had no idea were out there. You can’t put a price on that.”
