BRENHAM, Texas–Blue Bell Ice Cream is back, but only in select cities in Texas for now. The popular ice cream, which was pulled off the shelves in the Spring for contamination from listeria, won’t be back in Mississippi until phase five of a five phase reintroduction.
According to the company website, Blue Bell was back in stores in Austin and Houston, Texas Monday. The next phase takes it to north central Texas and southern Oklahoma.
“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. “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, said the website.
The other phases include:
- 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 did not give a timeline, though, and said they will move on the phases based on the availability of the product and based upon how fast they can get the production facilities up and running.
