Lexi Calos Backgrounder

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Blue Bell Creameries, L.P.
My company is Blue Bell Creameries and my issue is how the company has made a comeback
after 2015 listeria outbreaks caused by its products.
Last Revised: 09/14/2016
Background Blue Bell Creameries, in Brenham, Texas, is one of the nations largest ice cream
manufacturers, with sales of over $880 million in 2015. Blue Bells line of over 25 pint and
gallon-size flavors are distributed in supermarkets and chain stores nationwide. Blue Bells ice
cream flavors include Dutch chocolate, banana pudding and natural vanilla bean.
In March 2015 three Kansas hospital patients who consumed Blue Bell ice cream products in
2014, died after becoming sick with listeria meningitis. In April 2015, the Centers for Disease
Control reported that these deathsas well as seven other cases of listeria sickness from 2010 to
2015were due to the consumption of products from Blue Bells frozen dessert line. After the
CDCs report, Blue Bell immediately issued recalls on all of its products, pulled every product
from store shelves nationwide, and ceased production in all plants to clean listeria-contaminated
equipment and facilities. The CDC reported that Blue Bells South Carolina, Kansas, and
Oklahoma plants were where the listeria-infected products were manufactured. Listeria, which is
caused by contamination of food from natural mattersuch as fertilizercontaminated Blue
Bells products due to faulty drainage systems and equipment in their plants.
Current Situation Blue Bell restarted production of ice cream in select plants in September
2015 and began a select redistribution of its products in November 2015. Blue Bell is continuing
to revive its image and reintroduce its products back into the marketplace through the end of
2015 through the present. In September 2016, Blue Bell announced two new flavors: Cookie
Two Step, and Camo n Cream.
In July 2016 Blue Bell entered into test and hold agreements with departments of public health
and agriculture in Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma. These agreements add an extra safety check
to Blue Bells new system of ice cream production in all their plants. The test and hold
agreements with these state departments allow the departments to test Blue Bell products for
contamination and hold the products from the market until they are ensured safe for distribution.
Blue Bell ice cream is currently available for in-store purchase in over ten states along the
southern part of the nation, including: Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. Blue Bells
products will continue to become available in more states through fall of 2016. On September
19, Blue Bell will begin redistribution of its products to North Carolina supermarkets. Blue Bell
ice cream is not yet available for in-store purchase in Virginia, but can be purchased online
through the companys website or by calling their sales hotline.
Future Implications Blue Bell plans to abide by their test and hold safety agreements, and
return to more marketplaces around the nation by the end of 2016. Blue Bell plans to focus its
current production on its ice cream and not produce any of the frozen, packaged dessert products
which caused the listeria deaths in the Kansas patients. Blue Bell, which manufactured 66 flavors
of ice cream in 2014, plans to keep its current flavor selection smallaround 25 flavorsin
order to focus on the safety and quality of their ice cream. The companys new Camo n Cream
flavor has been touted as a delicious comeback by both fans of the brand and news media.
About Us Blue Bell Creameries, based in Brenham, Texas, opened its doors in 1907. It all
started on a hot summer day in 1907 when local farmers decided to establish the Brenham
Creamery Company and make butter from excess cream brought in by area farmers. A few years
later, the creamery began making ice cream and delivering it to neighbors by horse and wagon. It
was in 1930 that the company changed its name to Blue Bell Creameries after the native Texas
bluebell wildflower.
Links and References
http://bluebell.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Blue-Bell-Ice-Cream-40390321678/
https://twitter.com/ILoveBlueBell?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr
%5Eauthor
http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/pdf/bluebell-listeria-outbreak-infographic-508c.pdf
Sources
Beach, Coral. "Update: Blue Bell Says Listeria Threat Will Always Remain | Food Safety News."
Food Safety News. Marler Clark, Jan. 2016. Web. 14 Sept. 2016.

Blue Bell Creameries. "Blue Bell Ice Cream." Blue Bell Ice Cream. Blue Bell Creameries, n.d.
Web. 14 Sept. 2016.

"Blue Bell Reports on Root Causes of Five-year Listeria Outbreak | Food Safety News." Food
Safety News. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Sept. 2016.

"Blue Bell Releases Camouflage Ice Cream." Fox News. FOX News Network, 2016. Web. 14
Sept. 2016.

CDC. "Multistate Outbreak of Listeriosis Linked to Blue Bell Creameries Products (Final
Update)." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 2015. Web. 14 Sept. 2016.

Gillespie, Carla. "Blue Bell Ice Cream Listeria Outbreak Timeline." Food Poisoning Bulletin.
Marler Clark, Aug. 2015. Web. 14 Sept. 2016.

Gordon, Scott. "CDC Issues Final Report on Blue Bell Listeria Outbreak." NBC 5 Dallas-Fort
Worth. NBC, June 2015. Web. 14 Sept. 2016.
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