July 2011 – If you or your kids have ever played a community sport, chances are you’ve seen Pandy Hope’s Sno Biz snow cone truck.Hope has been in the shaved ice business for five years and the concession trailer business for four.
“I consider this business a blessing from God,” said Hope. “It’s a lot of fun. I love kids.”Pandy’s Sno Biz trailer crisscrosses North Jefferson County, AL. Most of her time is spent at youth league sporting events; she typically donates a portion of her sales to the athletic programs. Read the full story.
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July 2011 – If the summer heat has you craving something cold and sweet, you’re in luck. A new Roseville, CA, business is offering just that.
Annie’s Sno Biz is a shaved ice business on wheels. Sometimes you’ll find it plopped at the corner of Woodcreek Oaks Boulevard and McAnally Drive in Roseville, CA. Other times the mobile business will be serving up shaved ice at local events.
Anne Renee of Roseville started her business about three months ago in preparation for her last child entering college. Read more…
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June 2011 – Jamilla Bynog-Barnes is a self-proclaimed snow cone connoisseur.“I’ve had snow cones in every state I’ve ever visited, even in the South Caribbean,” the 30-year-old small business owner said.
Cenla Sno Biz opened officially earlier this week, but Bynog-Barnes opened the window a couple of weeks early to provide free samples. Bynog-Barnes and her sister, Deanna Bynog, claim Alexandria, Lousiana’s only shaved ice stand. The rest of the story…
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Spring 2011 – Brett Carter is a man who readily admits he doesn’t want to grow up. He loves young people, their sports, their activities, adventures and opinions. Carter has worked in retail, home security, motorcycle sales, meat and produce and even an oil change station. From each job he has information and relationships of which he is proud. Opening a Sno Biz business with winter coming on was definitely something to think and pray about. Read the full story on this husband and wife run small business.
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August 2010 – Oxford, MS – Independent filmmaker Thomas L. Phillips and the crew of “Where I Begin” filmed nearly all night at the Oxford, MS, Sno Biz.
Set in a small southern town, the film is a gritty character drama that asks the question: Can you ever really go home again? The events, rumors, stares and gossip from one night long ago has shaped a group of friends into who they are as adults. When Jacob returns, the unease of that long ago event once again surfaces. For Haddy, Jacob’s return is a reminder of her own desire to escape and start a new life.
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March 2010 – Dora, Lebanon – Sno Biz exhibited at the first “Taste of America” exhibit.
Carlo Chehab, Sno Biz Distributor in Lebanon, showcased the business opportunity of popular treats such as shave ice, cotton candy and smoothies.
The U.S. ambassador enjoyed a Sno Biz shave ice when she visited the show on Saturday.
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Sept. 22, 2010
“I’ve wanted to open my own business since I was 8 years old,” said Rosie’s Sno Biz owner Andrea Natale.
She made that dream come true when she opened a trailer last year where she sells her snow cones in Yuba City and her brick-and-mortar store in East Marysville in May.
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Aug. 1, 2010
The event at the Sno Biz snow cone stand in Cleburne to benefit a Grandview police officer injured in an accident got off to a slow start.
Initially two customers, Steve and Stephen Stephenson, stopped to buy snow cones. Both said they heard Justin Frazell, morning disc jockey for KFWR/95.9 FM The Ranch, was working the stand and wanted to stop by to meet him.
A brief lull ensued after the Stephensons’ departed, but soon enough several more customers arrived followed by others and a steady stream ensued.
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August 1, 2009
As you walk across the dock, clutching the giant rope for balance, you would swear you just saw an alligator. A pelican flies overhead near a swath of palm trees and a pontoon boat waits for riders around the corner.
If you didn’t know better, you’d think you were wandering through a seaside getaway. Instead, you’re still in Junction City, MO, — specifically, at Pelican Pete’s sno-cone stand.
The establishment, which hasn’t served any flavored shaved ice in two years, re-opened for business July 17 and, according to owners Jeff and Kathy York, has been busy ever since.
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October 11, 2007
Sno Biz Owner Helps with Elementary School Fundraiser
Clinton, Mississippi — Clay Mansell, owner of Sno Biz, helped with a fundraiser for Clinton Park Elementary. He presented Suzannne Holloway with a $200 check raised through a two-month snow cone contest. The funds will be used to help buy playground equipment.
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July 9, 2007
Popular downtown business a hit during hot summer months
Jasper, Alabama — Rain or shine, the Sno Biz snow cone stand provides everyone, young or old, with the refreshment of a variety of snow cone flavors throughout the scorching summers. Fourteen-year-old Michael Tedford, a frequent customer at Sno Biz, said his favorite flavor is Georgia Peach, which Dawn Kamplain, owner of Sno Biz, said is a favorite among many customers. She said another favorite is vanilla with creme.
“It tastes just like homemade ice cream,” she said.
The two favorite flavors for young children is frog in a blender and tiger’s blood because of the names, Dawn said. “(Frog in a blender) is green apple with black cherry in the center,” she said.
— ELIZABETH HIGGINS, The Daily Mountain Eagle, COPYRIGHT ® 2007 Daily Mountain Eagle, a division of Cleveland Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.
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June 23, 2006 – Corsicana Texas Daily Sun
That first blast of cold air through the window of a snow cone stand could be argued as the best part of summer vacation.
On 90- and 100-degree days when simply stepping out of the car begins the signal to sweat, that 65 degrees of ice-cold air coming out of the snow ball stand makes standing in line for a little piece of snow ball heaven much more enjoyable and always worth the wait.
For Shemaki Robinson, who prefers the banana-flavor, it’s a daily experience she can’t miss in the summer.
“I just love them. I have to have one everyday,” she said. “If I don’t come, someone will come for me.”
Tucked into his tiny 9 1/2 by 17 1/2 foot stand, surrounded by gallons and bottles of sugary syrup and ice, lots and lots of ice, Spencer Richardson, 29, said his job has its advantages.
“I like it that everyone knows me from the SnoBiz stand and the kids are always excited about the stand’s opening,” says Spencer about being the SnoBiz man. “I’ve gotten a lot of friends out of this business.”
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October 15, 2005
Sno Biz® Shave Ice Flavors Fire Up The Treat Trend
Minneapolis, Minnesota — Shaved ice topped in deliciously sweet syrup once again has become a trendy treat. Usually called “shave ice,” it’s more refreshing than ice cream— without the fat. And it’s smooth and flaky, not chunky like snow cones.
Shave ice has been popular in Southeast Asia and China for centuries. One 10th-century Japanese book refers to its elegance. From street vendors in New York City to fancy restaurants in Malaysia, today’s entrepreneurs and chefs have revived the shave ice concept with an array of gourmet recipes that call for premium flavors.
Minnesota-based Sno Biz® is ready for international popularity.
Crystal Fresh, Inc., first introduced its Sno Biz brand of proprietary dry-mix flavors for shave ice in 1989. Now Sno Biz features 35 unique flavors, such as Passion Fruit and Mango. Standard favorites range from Strawberry to Root Beer. The company also offers ice shaving equipment, carts and trailers, and everything else needed to set up a Sno Biz dealership.
Sno Biz dealers creatively blend Sno Biz flavors to create sensational desserts. For example, the Apple Pie A La Mode calls for a mix of Apple flavor and Vanilla flavor to douse the shave ice, finished with Sno Biz Crème, a thick, sweet topping similar to condensed milk but oh-so-much better.
Sno Biz dealers prefer dry mixes, in part, for the convenience, according to Tom Novetzke, a Crystal Fresh principal.
“Dealers simply add water to mix the Sno Biz flavors as they need them. They pay less for shipping, too. If they purchase from a competitor, they’re paying to ship sugar water in a gallon jug that outweighs our small pouches—that’s a big concern overseas,” said Novetzke.
Sno Biz vendors operate in more than twenty countries in addition to the U.S., including Columbia, Ecuador, Lebanon and Kuwait.
“It’s the taste of our flavors that sets Sno Biz apart. It’s not unusual for a customer to taste one Sno Biz shave ice treat at an amusement park or mall, and call us to ask about opening a Sno Biz dealership,” Novetzke said.
Crystal Fresh works exclusively through distributors, who sell Sno Biz equipment, dry-mix flavors and branded supplies to dealers. There are no franchise fees in the U.S. Dealers operate from umbrella-decked carts, brightly lit trailers at big-box retailers, permanent mall kiosks and even freestanding stores.
For first-time business owners, the investment in an ice shaver, dry-mix flavors and serving gear is fairly small compared to other franchises. Sno Biz offers a starter package for under $5K, backed by a worldwide support network.
Novetzke recently returned from a training session in China, a growing international hot spot for Sno Biz shave ice. The newest Chinese distributor is Xu Hou, an energetic man who works from an office in Montreal, Canada. Mr. Hou said he sees tremendous prospects for Sno Biz shave ice dealers in his home country. His family opened a Sno Biz store last year in the 300,000-square-foot Golden Resource Shopping Center in Beijing.
“Sno Biz is making it easier to serve customers with excellent flavors,” said Mr. Hou. “I find it doesn’t matter what background, age or which part of China the people come from, they are curious to taste—and they say the flavor is good.”
Mr. Hou concedes that it’s not always easy to start a business in China. But Crystal Fresh has worked with him to overcome the hurdles. Sales for June, July and August were up for him.
“Sno Biz has everything that’s the same quality or better than McDonald’s or other famous brands,” Mr. Hou said. “And people are starting to know which flavors they like.”
Paul Hobeika, owner of Sno Biz Eastern Canada, is seeing the same potential for success. He started working with the Crystal Fresh team in 1999. Now he coordinates with more than 25 dealers in Quebec and Ontario, and he has developed the concept in Australia, China and Spain—so far. “I have more countries that I’m working on,” he said. “The Sno Biz concept is simple and easy to prepare, product cost is good and, as a food business, there is less waste. We have very good support from Crystal Fresh; they are a good team. We are always in contact to discuss business and exchange ideas.”
Carlo Chehab, a leading Sno Biz distributor headquartered in Lebanon, added, “Crystal Fresh has always supported our international and local deals with a wealth of information and details that can enhance our sales,” he said. “They are continuously improving the quality and the image of Sno Biz products.”
Chehab supports nearly 20 operations in Lebanon as well as other dealers and distributors in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus and Egypt. He said, “Our customers in Lebanon and abroad appreciate the product a lot, and know that it is an American one. Sno Biz means an American Culture to Lebanese and Arab tasters. It is a way of getting familiarized with American products.”
For the Sno Biz brand and the team at Crystal Fresh, that sounds like a world of opportunities.
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September 27, 2005
Sno Biz® Shave Ice Cools Off Relief Workers After Katrina
Minneapolis, Minnesota — The sun came out after Hurricane Katrina swept viciously through coastal Mississippi. But, the heat failed to wilt the spirit of relief workers with some cool help from Sno Biz.
Jim and Suzie Sherman of Mobile, Alabama, quickly moved their Sno Biz shave ice trailer to the stricken area. They stopped in Pascagoula, Gulfport, Kiln and Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. With help from friends and family, they served more than 2,000 handmade icy sweet treats to the Navy Seabees, Army soldiers, Coast Guard personnel, USO crews, and FEMA and EPA staff members, as well as Katrina victims. They offered the shave ice treats at no charge using Sno Biz flavors donated from Crystal Fresh, Inc., of Burnsville, Minnesota.
USO volunteer Michelle Beale worked with USO Gulf Coast Volunteer Coordinator Kathi Callahan to arrange the Sno Biz visits. Both volunteers traveled from their homes in Mobile, Alabama.
“Jim and Suzie surely brought a welcome relief to many soldiers, especially on September 20th in Gulfport and Kiln when the temperature was well over 100 degrees most of the day,” Michelle said.
Tom Novetzke, one of the principals at Crystal Fresh, commented that the Sno Biz brand enjoys loyal customers in the southern part of the USA, and the company was happy to help. “We’re really proud of the Shermans’ generosity and compassion. We work with some very special people in our dealer and distributor network,” he said.
Tom also noted that Ed and Jean Woodside, Sno Biz distributors in southern Louisiana, expected that all of the dealers in New Orleans were destroyed. “We’re ready to help out to get those dealers back in business again,” he added.
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