After almost 5 months of no production due to listeria concerns, Blue Bell ice cream is in store freezers in Texas and Alabama today. Will you buy it when it's for sale in Utica?

This is the first of 5 phases to get the products nationwide after listeria contamination tests came back negative.

Blue Bell ice cream was pulled out of store freezers back in April after the ice cream was linked to 10 listeria illnesses in 4 states, and 3 deaths in Kansas. After the national recall thousands of employees were laid off or furloughed.

Blue Bell purchases are limited to 4 flavors. Homemade Vanilla, Dutch Chocolate, The Great Divide, and Cookies 'n Cream

According to the Blue Bell press release.

 Brenham, TX, August 17, 2015 – Blue Bell Creameries announced today it will begin distributing ice cream to select markets on Monday, August 31.

Blue Bell has notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and state health officials in Alabama and Texas of its plan to re-enter select markets on a limited basis…

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.

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