Blue Bell resumes production at Texas plant
Blue Bell Creameries has resumed limited operations at its Brenham, TX facility this week months after the plant was closed due to a Listeria contamination at the facility that prompted a recall of all Blue Bell products.
“We are excited to announce that Blue Bell Ice Cream is once again being made at our main production plant in Brenham,” says Greg Bridges, vice president of operations for Blue Bell. “Over the past several months we have been preparing our facility for this day. We are very thankful for the patience and support our customers have shown Blue Bell.”
Operations are currently on a limited basis as the company seeks to confirm that new procedures, facility enhancements and employee training are effective. Blue Bell says the new ice cream produced will be closely monitored and tested. The company currently does not have a firm date for when ice cream from the Brenham facility will be available for sale.
Currently Blue Bell is in phase two of its five-phase plan to return products to all shelves within its distribution network and will enter phase three on Dec. 14. Nearly 700 of its employees, who were put on paid furlough earlier this year, have returned to work.
Blue Bell began production at its Sylacauga, AL and Broken Arrow, OK facilities in July and September respectively.
“We anticipate that our new procedures and enhancements that have already been implemented in Alabama and Oklahoma will also be effective in Texas,” Bridges says. “For now we will produce a limited number of products at each facility.”
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