Friday, October 30th 2015, 9:12 pm
Blue Bell Ice Cream says it will begin phase two of its return to the market on Monday.
The company has a five-phase market re-entry plan. Phase 2 begins on November 2 and includes north central Texas and north central and southern Oklahoma. The company says Tulsa and Oklahoma City are included in that phase.
Blue Bell removed its products from stores in April after they were linked to a Listeria outbreak. Blue Bell announced in August it would begin distributing ice cream in five phases.
10/1/2015: Related Story: Blue Bell Re-Enters Oklahoma Market In November
"We have experienced tremendous consumer response and support since our return to stores on August 31," said Ricky Dickson, vice president of sales and marketing in a news release. "This support, coupled with our current production capacity, has slowed our ability to enter additional distribution areas. 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."
Right now the company is making ice cream in Broken Arrow, and Sylacauga, Alabama.
"We continue to make good progress and expect to begin production at our main plant in Brenham in the next few months," Dickson said. "With our Broken Arrow plant now producing ice cream, we are confident that we can build enough inventory to enter phase two beginning November 2. We do not have a date for any other phases at this time. As soon as we know that we can properly service the customers in an area with an adequate supply of Blue Bell Ice Cream we will move to the next phase."
For now Blue Bell says it's producing five flavors in the half-gallon and pint sizes: Buttered Pecan, Cookies 'n Cream, Dutch Chocolate, Homemade Vanilla and The Great Divide. It says 12-pak Homemade Vanilla Cups and 12-pak Homemade Vanilla and Dutch Chocolate Cups are also available.
October 30th, 2015
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