BRENHAM, Texas -- Blue Bell Creameries has announced that it will begin distributing its ice cream to retailers in select markets on August 31. The company voluntary recalled all of its frozen products over contamination issues in April and May.
Blue Bell has notified the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and state health officials in Alabama and Texas of its plan to re-enter select markets on a limited basis.
“Over the past several months we have been working to make our facilities even better, and to ensure that everything we produce is safe, wholesome and of the highest quality for you to enjoy,” said Ricky Dickson, vice president of sales and marketing for Blue Bell, Brenham, Texas. “This is an exciting time for us as we are back to doing what we love…making ice cream!”
The Blue Bell production facility in Sylacauga, Ala., began producing ice cream in late July. Additional production facilities in Brenham, Texas, and Broken Arrow, Okla., are still undergoing facility and production process upgrades similar to those made at the Alabama plant.
Due to the limited production capacity while producing in one facility, Blue Bell will re-enter parts of 15 states in five phases. The first of the five phases will be similar to how Blue Bell began and include the Brenham, Houston and Austin, Texas, areas, as well as parts of Alabama, (Birmingham and Montgomery) where the product is being made.
The next phases include:
- 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.
Blue Bell will move on to each phase based on product availability and when it can properly service the customers in an area. With the exception of phase one, no other dates have been determined for when each expansion will take place.
The company, which has traditionally distributed its ice cream in grocery stores, convenience stores and institutions, did not announce which specific retailers would or would not be restocking the products.
On Facebook, Blue Bell announced the first returning flavor: "The first flavor we're revealing is our top-selling Homemade Vanilla! It's rich, homemade tasting vanilla ice cream with a special hand-cranked flavor that's the best in the country. We'll unveil another flavor tomorrow!"
We have exciting news! from Blue Bell Creameries on Vimeo.
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