Dive Brief:
- Blue Bell is beginning the second phase of its five-phase plan to return to U.S. markets on Nov. 2 following the listeria contamination that led to Blue Bell's full product recall and creamery shutdown earlier this year.
- The second phase includes north central Texas (Dallas, Fort Worth and Waco areas) and north central and southern Oklahoma (Tulsa and Oklahoma City areas).
- Bell Bell returned to production at its facility in Broken Arrow, OK, where the listeria contamination was first reported in March, a little over a month ago.
Dive Insight:
Most of Blue Bell's return so far as been centered around the southern U.S. states, where its market is the strongest. Ricky Dickson, vice-president of sales and marketing for Blue Bell, said the company has "experienced tremendous consumer response and support since our return to stores on Aug. 31."
Blue Bell is being slow and deliberate in its return to market. "We are working as hard as we can to keep stores in Phase One stocked without jeopardizing the new quality and safety procedures we have implemented to ensure our products are safe and of the highest quality," Dickson said.