Austin, Houston, Brenham and parts of Alabama will be the first to see Blue Bell ice cream back in stores later this month.
The Brenham-based company said today it would start rolling products back out Aug. 31, after listeria contamination at its production facilities forced it to recall all of its products and shut down its factories for cleaning. The contamination was linked to 10 illnesses, three of which resulted in deaths.
One Blue Bell factory in Alabama began making ice cream again in July. Others in Brenham and Oklahoma are still being cleaned and upgraded.
Blue Bell announced its return in a video posted Monday:
After Blue Bell rolls out its first phase, other regions will follow:
- Phase Two: North central Texas and southern Oklahoma
- Phase Three: Southwest Texas and central Oklahoma
- Phase Four: The majority of Texas and southern Louisiana.
- Phase Five: Complete the states of Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas and begin distribution in Arkansas, Florida, northern Louisiana and Mississippi. This phase will also include only parts of the following states: Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
