​​​​​​​​​In the heart of Louisiana, where sno-balls aren’t just treats but they’re traditions, one man saw a problem that needed fixing. Back in the day, if you ran a sno-ball stand, you’d be lucky to find a block of ice that didn’t weigh more than a gator. The only option? Hauling in 300-pound chunks that melted too fast and wasted too much. It was messy, heavy, and downright inefficient.

 

Then came Larry Buras, a local innovator with a knack for doing things better. A customer walked into his ice plant frustrated he couldn’t find ice that fit his shaver and Larry saw an opportunity. Not just to help a neighbor, but to revolutionize the way sno-ball businesses operated. So he got to work. Sketches turned into prototypes. Prototypes turned into progress. And soon, the Sno-Block® machine was born. A sleek, efficient ice maker that produced the perfect square blocks for New Orleans-style sno-balls.

 

Freezing ice from the bottom up, the machine delivered blocks with a smoother, denser texture an ideal for that soft-as-clouds, snow-like ice that melts on the tongue and keeps locals coming back for more. But Larry didn’t stop at squares. As demand grew for Japanese-style round block shavers, he introduced the Spinner-Block® machine, tailored for Hatsuyuki®, Swan®, and Fugimarca® shavers, all while keeping the same Delta promise: quality, efficiency, and Southern dependability.

 

From corner stands in New Orleans to bustling theme parks, fishing charters, and ice houses across the globe, Delta machines now serve customers on nearly every continent, including South America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. We ship worldwide and know the power specs of more countries than a Mardi Gras float’s got beads. What started as a conversation in an ice plant turned into a legacy. Nearly 50 years later, we’re still here and crafting machines with heart, hustle, and a little Louisiana soul.

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