Blue Bell is Back: the Long-Awaited Return of a Traditional Texas Treat
Blue Bell is back in Texas. The ice cream company is gradually returning to the DFW area, a process that started on Aug. 31. So far, four famous flavors from the beloved brand have made their way back into supermarket freezers.
Blue Bell Creameries called for a recall back in April after an outbreak of Listeriosis affected 10 people and even killed three. According to a press release from Blue Bell Creameries, the company’s solution to the problem was to begin a new and more thorough cleaning program, as well as a new training program for the remaining 37% of employees who survived the recall.
After the news of the recall, many Texans were disappointed with the temporary loss of their favorite ice cream.
It was pretty depressing going to the grocery store and seeing the empty freezer shelves this summer.
— Timea Goldberg
“I remember when my dad heard the news,” IB senior Timea Goldberg said. “He grabbed the Blue Bell we already had in our freezer and started to scarf it down as fast as he could. It was pretty depressing going to the grocery store and seeing the empty freezer shelves this summer.”
However, it seems as though the discovery of potentially lethal bacteria and the ensuing four-month hiatus will not deter Texans from grabbing their ice cream back. During the end-of-summer return, people flocked to the nearest grocery stores to stock up on their long-lost Blue Bell treats.
“I think it’s ironic that they found harmful bacteria in some ice cream, and people are just clamoring to get it back as soon as possible,” librarian Steve Lewis said.
In order to add to the anticipation for Texans, Blue Bell Creameries started to announce daily the four different flavors returning to shelves on their Twitter and Instagram . Throughout the week, they revealed Homemade Vanilla, Dutch Chocolate, Cookies ‘n Cream, and finally, The Great Divide (a mix of both Homemade Vanilla and Dutch Chocolate). It seems that the four that are already out can soothe consumers for what’s left of the summer. According to their posts, people can look forward to even more of their favorite flavors soon.
“After such a hot summer, I’m so glad Blue Bell is back!” Goldberg said.
