Have you ever spent summer in Louisiana, Maryland, or Mississippi? If you do, you might have tried a unique summer treat. They are called snowballs. Snowballs are made of shaved ice and syrup flavors. They are typically sold during the summer months – from March to October. Today, snowball trucks roam all over America. Most entrepreneurs love snowball trucks. It’s because they have a high-profit margin. Let’s take a look at the 5 best snowball trucks in America.

 

What is Snowball?

A snowball is a fluffy shaved-ice treat that can be flavored with different sweet syrups. The syrups include standard fruity flavors, such as raspberry and strawberry. Creamy syrups include gummy bears, ice cream, and milk. There are also unique flavors like banana, king cake, and pecan. Snowballs are also termed shaved ice or sno-balls. It differs from a snow cone because it uses crushed ice. 

The most popular snowball flavors are:

• Egg custard, which is shaved ice with egg, sugar, and vanilla flavoring
• Skylite, which is shaved ice with blue syrup flavoring
• Tiger’s Blood, which is shaved ice in strawberry or watermelon fruity flavoring 

 

A Brief History of Snowball in America

Since the 1800s, kids in Baltimore have already enjoyed shaved ice treats. They would ask for shavings from ice wagons. When they get home, their mothers will flavor them with egg custard, sugar, and vanilla. Soon, some businesses sold snowball as intermission treats in theaters. It’s a perfect way to cool since theaters don’t have air conditions during that time. King Sammie (Samuel Bert from East Dallas) began selling icy treats at the Texas State Fair of 1919. He patented the first ice-crusher. His treat is what is known to be snow cones. 

During the Great Depression, snowballs were served as penny sundaes. They’re an affordable treat to the masses. In the 1930s, two New Orleans native invented the first ice-shavers. They were Ernest Hansen and George Ortolano. These ice-shavers were invented separately. Yet, they simultaneously heightened the popularity of snowballs. There was even a time in Baltimore where some residents complained because of too many stands of a snowball in the area. Since then, snowballs have evolved in different flavors. They have also become a marketable concept and profitable menu item among food trucks.

5 Best Snowball Trucks in America

 

Bee Cool Snowballs (Houma, LA)

 

Brenda Leroux Babin or popularly called “Dr. Bee” founded the Bee Cool Snowballs truck in Houma, Louisiana. The truck provides one of the healthiest snowballs in America. It uses non-genetically modified (GMO) sugar, natural colors, and natural flavorings. Bee Cool offers 50 snowball flavors, 16 of which are all-natural. These are:

• Banana
• Cherry
• Chocolate
• Coconut
• Coffee
• Grape
• Ice Cream
• Orange
• Peach
• Pina Colada
• Pineapple
• Pink Lemonade
• Raspberry
• Strawberry
• Tiger’s Blood
• Watermelon

 

Go Melvo Sno-balls (Baltimore, MD)

 

Since 1994, Go Melvo Sno-balls has been serving the Baltimore, Maryland area. This snowball truck was founded by Melvin McMahon. He was inspired to convert an old postal truck into the said business after hearing a springtime hit telling kids that it’s snowball time. The truck started its journey in South Bethany beach. Go Melvo Sno-balls offers 18 snowball variants:

• Banana
• Bubble Gum
• Cherry
• Chocolate
• Egg Custard
• Grape
• Ice Cream
• Lemon
• Lime
• Orange
• Pina Colada
• Raspberry
• Rootbeer
• Spearmint
• Strawberry
• Skylite
• Watermelon
• Wine Cooler

Fun part: You can also create your preferred mix if you like!

 

Sno Café (Nashville, TN)

 

Denise Beintker started the Sno Café truck together with Sarah and Stacey. When they moved to Nashville, Tennessee, Sarah discovered her obsession for snowballs. And that’s how the family business began. What’s good about the Sno Café snowball truck? You can mix 3, 4 or 5 of these mouthwatering flavors:

• Chai latte
• Chocolatey mint
• Creamy vanilla orchid
• Georgia sunset
• Ice cream + cake
• Margarita
• Orange creamsicle
• Rainbow
• Sour cherry
• Strawberry lemonade
• Toasted coconut
• Tres melons

 

Sno-good Sno-balls (Atlanta, GA)

 

Spouses, Brad and Leah Smith, both grew up in New Orleans where snowball is a part of its culture. When they moved to Atlanta, they found a scarce market for snowballs in the area. So, they decided to open up the Sno-good Sno-balls in 2015. They initially started in a tent and eventually bought a food truck. This snowballs truck offers 33 regular sno-ball flavors:

• Bahama Mama
• Blue Bubblegum
• Blue Raspberry
• Bob Marley
• Cherry
• Cotton Candy
• Dreamsicle
• Egg Custard
• Famous Pink Lady
• Georgia Peach
• Grape
• Key Lime Pie
• Kiwi
• Mango
• Mardi Gras
• Pina Colada
• Pineapple
• Pink Lemonade
• Rainbow
• Red velvet
• Sangria
• Sour Apple
• Spider-Man
• Strawberry
• Sugar-free Blue Raspberry
• Sugar-free Strawberry
• Summer swirl
• Tiger Blood
• Wedding Cake

There are also 3 specialty flavors offered by Sno-good Sno-ball. These are:

• Strawberry Cheesecake
• Caramel Apple
• Tropical Paradise

 

Sweet Caroline’s Snow Shack (Austin, TX)

 

Spouses, Jeremy and Tara Leo, took over Sweet Caroline’s Snow Shack in 2013. Jeremy single-handedly manages this snowball truck after Tara passed away in 2015. Sweet Caroline’s Snow Shack was a favorite frozen treat in Austin, Texas. The truck offers more than 50 flavors of New Orlean style snowballs. Among their signature snowballs are:

• Amazing Grace 
• Beary Delicious
• Cactus Juice
• Eskimo Kiss
• First Dance
• Hawaiian Wedding
• Incredible Hulk
• Keep Austin Weird
• Ninja Turtle
• Pretty in Pink
• Red Velvet Cupcake
• Sweet Caroline
• Texas Two-Step
• Wild Weston

Looking for the best snowball truck to start your own business? UsedVending offers shaved ice and snowball trucks in different sizes. Most are newly refurbished and available at very low prices. Start your colorful snowball business and fascinate the crowd with refreshing icy treats! 

Discover other mobile food business ideas by checking out our food trucks for sale here.