An investment up to $125 million from prominent Texas businessman Sid Bass lent to Blue Bell Creameries is necessary for the company to remain in business, according to the Associated Press.
Prominent Texas businessman Sid Bass made a significant investment into Blue Bell Creameries to help ensure the ice cream manufacturer bring its products back to the market after a listeria contamination forced a nationwide recall and stoppage of all manufacturing.
After a Listeriosis outbreak was linked to its ice cream and a nationwide recall was initiated, Blue Bell says it’s ready to begin test production at one of its facilities.
With its ice cream still absent from store shelves, Blue Bell Creameries said it notified FDA and state health officials in Alabama it will begin test production at the Sylacauga, AL facility during the next several weeks.
Recent information released by Blue Bell Creameries relating to the cause of the Listeria contamination in some of its ice cream products has a familiar ring to it—improperly maintained equipment contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
Describing it as an “agonizing decision,” Blue Bell Creameries announced its first layoffs in 108 years of business, cutting more than one-third of its workforce after the company stopped production and initiated a full recall in April when some of its products were linked to an outbreak of Listeriosis.
Texas-based Blue Bell Creameries, which pulled all its products from stores in April, was aware one of its production facilities contained listeria more than two years ago according to recent documents released by FDA.