Blue Bell Creameries cut two jobs from its West Jacksonville distribution center and emptied the warehouse freezers, delivery trucks and area store shelves of every last carton, cup, scoop and cone of ice cream.
The center is among the Brenham, Texas-based chain’s 60 distribution centers in 23 states being deep-cleaned and sanitized in preparation for the as yet unscheduled return of Blue Bell products, which all were recalled after a deadly listeria outbreak.
Spokesman Joe Robertson said the inventory of those centers was disposed of into local landfills.
“There is no product,” he said.
Blue Bell stopped work at its entire operation, including its four production plants, and announced it would lay off 37 percent of its 3,900 employees — 750 full-time and 700 part-time employees. Another 1,500 are on partially paid furlough. Employees also had pay cuts.
Robertson said two of the Jacksonville distribution center’s 30 employees lost their jobs. Some others are on paid furlough awaiting the return of Blue Bell ice cream and their jobs.
It was the first layoff in the private family-owned company’s 108-year history.
Blue Bell opened its Jacksonville distribution center in 2001 along Imeson Road, north of Commonwealth Avenue. It distributes within a 90-mile market, Robertson said.
The Westside center distributes Blue Bell products into the display freezers at stores in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.
“Jacksonville is a great market for us and it will remain open,” he said.
Robertson said some of the Jacksonville employees, including the branch and sales managers, are coming in to take care of operations. There also are maintenance projects to prepare for the return of the ice cream, including the deep-clean.
“Unfortunately we are uncertain about our return right now,” Robertson said.
Blue Bell has been responding to the outbreak.
“We are working hard to make sure our facilities are improved and whatever potential pathways for contamination are eliminated and the product that we bring back to the market is 100 percent safe,” he said.
Robertson said when Blue Bell resumes production the ice cream must be cleared for shipment.
The Wall Street Journal reported that in April, Blue Bell voluntarily recalled its frozen products after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked its ice cream to a listeria outbreak that resulted in three deaths and additional illnesses in several southwestern states.
The Journal reported Friday that Blue Bell signed agreements with health regulators in Texas and Oklahoma to outline steps it would take before resuming ice-cream sales.
Those steps include rigorous cleaning and revised testing protocols.
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