Blue Bell Pistachio Almond ice cream returning to shelves
Blue Bell is adding another flavor to its lineup as the company continues to return to stores across the southern United States.
Blue Bell said Monday that Pistachio Almond ice cream will start appearing on store shelves this week.
The stores it restarted distribution with were Homemade Vanilla, Dutch Chocolate, the Great Divide, Buttered Pecan and Cookies n’ Cream. Sales in North Texas of Blue Bell resumed on Nov. 2.
Blue Bell announced last week it has resumed limited operations at its flagship creamery in the Central Texas town of Brenham, seven months after shutting down production out of fear of listeria contamination. The output is being monitored and tested to confirm that new hygiene procedures, facility enhancements and employee training are working. No date has been set for the output from the plant about 70 miles northwest of Houston to go on sale.
Blue Bell voluntary recalled all products in April after the treats were linked to 10 listeria cases, including three deaths in Kansas.
The company faced intense regulatory scrutiny during cleanup and decontamination.
Seventy Brenham workers on paid furlough have returned to work, but laid-off workers haven't returned. Plants in Alabama and Oklahoma previously resumed production.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.