Blue Bell Ice Cream Returns to Some Stores 4 Months After Listeria Outbreak
Four flavors of Blue Bell ice cream are in stores.
— -- Blue Bell ice cream is back in grocery stores, four months after the company shut down production due to a listeria outbreak.
Ice cream from the Texas-based company is now available at stores around Houston and Austin and parts of Alabama.
Blue Bell said it will be restocking stores throughout this week, beginning with four flavor options. Homemade vanilla, Dutch chocolate, cookies 'n cream and a blend of chocolate and vanilla have been offered so far.
The listeria outbreak in April was connected to 10 illnesses, including three deaths according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The company completely stopped production in April in order to retrain all employees and enhance preventative measures.
Last month, Blue Bell said it was gearing up for its return. Greg Bridges, vice president of operations for Blue Bell, said, “We have been working diligently to prepare our facilities to resume test production, and our focus throughout this process has been to ensure the public that when our products return to market, they are safe."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.