Blue Bell Creameries reopening Wilmington distribution center

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) – Blue Bell Creameries will return to Wilmington in March.

Blue Bell faced a listeria outbreak in 2015 that halted production. Then this year, the company issued a recall of  all of its ice cream products that contained cookie dough from an Iowa-based supplier. Aspen Hills recalled cookie dough supplied to Blue Bell and other ice cream makers after finding potential listeria bacteria contamination.

“It has always been our goal to return to the Wilmington area, and we believe that we are in a great position to expand our sales territory next year,” said Ricky Dickson, vice president of sales and marketing for Blue Bell. “In September, we began selling our ice cream in the central portion of North Carolina and had a very good response. With the addition of Wilmington, Blue Bell will now be available across most of the state.”

Blue Bell will reopen its distribution facility located in Wilmington.

“We have started hiring personnel and will continue to add more as needed over the next few months,” Dickson said.

No store locations have been released at this time, but Blue Bell says you will find their ice cream at most major supermarkets and drug stores when it returns to the area.

In addition to Wilmington, Blue Bell Ice Cream will return throughout the state of Arizona in March.