Embattled ice cream maker Blue Bell plans to resume selling in Arizona early next year and will reopen three distribution facilities in the state.
Those facilities were shut down in the wake of a high-profile listeria outbreak last year that sickened 10 people and led to three deaths in Kansas.
Blue Bell recalled all ice cream products in April of last year and ultimately laid off about half its workforce.
Production resumed later in the year following changes to its sanitation and training practices, and the company's ice cream slowly returned to select markets in recent months.
“It has always been our goal to return to Arizona, and we believe that we are in a great position to expand our sales territory next year,” vice president of sales and marketing Ricky Dickson said in a statement.
Blue Bell distribution centers in Phoenix, Apache Junction and Tucson will be reopened and the company will begin shipping throughout Arizona in March.
The ice cream will be available at most major supermarkets and drug stores, although specific locations were not announced. The company is hiring at those three facilities and will continue to do so over the next three months.
Blue Bell expands to further expand its distribution footprint next year and indicated that it would "announce the next market entry" later this month.