A summer favorite is now a public health headache: Rich’s Ice Cream Co. is voluntarily recalling more than 110,000 cases of individually wrapped ice-cream bars after routine testing found potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Frozen desserts were shipped to dealers servicing schools, retailers, and vending routes in 23 states and Nassau, Bahamas, which prompted a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Class II recall dated July 17, 2025. Although there are no reported illnesses, the scope of distribution suggests millions of bars are secretly stashed away in freezers nationwide.
What triggered the recall
Company testing at Rich’s West Palm Beach, Florida, plant detected possible L. monocytogenes on production lines linked to lot numbers 24351-25156 made between late-December 2024 and early-June 2025. According to FDA rules, a Class II classification means a product that “may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences,” although severe effects are not likely. Management initiated the recall on June 27 and made it public after they tested for the presence of the organism in environmental swabs, a safety precaution intended to avoid outbreaks from starting.
Products involved
All products involved are 3 fl. oz. stick novelties packaged in clear plastic pouches and retailed 96 per wholesale case. Consumers can verify if the bars are unsafe by comparing the flavor and lot codes printed next to the seal.
The following are affected flavors: Chocolate Crunch Cake Bar (UPC/Item Code 85000), Strawberry Shortcake Bar (85050), Rich Bar (85155), Crumbled Cookie Bar (85200), Orange Cream Bar (86010), Fudge Frenzy Bar (86210), Cotton Candy Twirl Bar (86260), Savagely Sour Blue Raspberry Bar (86265), Savagely Sour Cherry Bar (86266), and Cool Watermelon Bar (86270).
Where the bars were distributed
The recalled ice cream bars were distributed in a wide geographic region and extended to as far as 23 states. They include;
- Alabama
- Arizona
- California
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
In all but one of these states, the products were sold to school wholesalers, retail freezer displays, vending trucks, grocery chains, independent grocers, rural distributors, club stores, university cafeterias, convenience stores, cooperative grocers, tourist shops, beach vendors, urban bodegas, supermarket warehouses, regional chains, coastal markets, school districts, resort concessions, highway rest stops, big-box stores, and military commissaries. The products also were shipped to Nassau, Bahamas.
Understanding listeria and its risks
L. monocytogenes proliferates optimally in cold, humid factory environments and survives normal freezer temperatures and thus ice-cream plants are perpetually a sanitation issue. Infection, known as listeriosis, most commonly causes fever, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal disease within two weeks of being exposed but may develop into life-threatening meningitis or abortion in pregnant females, the elderly, and immunocompromised persons.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate 1,600 U.S. cases and 260 deaths annually, ranking listeriosis the nation’s third-deadliest foodborne illness.
What consumers must do
- First, examine lot codes on all Rich’s bars and discard products 24351-25156.
- Second, sanitize freezer shelves and ice-cream scoops with a solution of bleach (1 tablespoon chlorine bleach per gallon water) to prevent cross-contamination.
- Third, look for flu-like symptoms; seek medical attention if fever, stiff neck, or gastrointestinal disturbance occurs within 60 days of consumption.
Lastly, contact Rich’s customer service at 1-800-356-7094 for refund details; keep purchase receipts or images of products for verification purposes.
Industry and supply-chain implications
The volume—110,292 cases is roughly 10.6 million bars—illustrates the way a single processing error can ripple through multi-state distribution networks. Because Rich’s distributes bulk packs to third-party wholesalers rather than marking most retail boxes, traceability can disintegrate once foods arrive at school cafeterias or neighborhood ice-cream trucks. Food-safety advocates argue that the episode underscores the importance of real-time environmental monitoring and electronic lot tracking to shrink recall windows.
Meanwhile, summer-season losses on sales will exceed $8 million based on an average of $0.75 per bar and disposal costs—a financial loss for a midsize regional producer. Insurers compensate for recall costs, yet reputational damage lingers; past listeria-induced ice-cream shutdowns cost companies years of shelf-space negotiations.
Rich’s prompt recall could have prevented illness, but it’s a reminder: cold desserts are not invincible to contamination. Consumers need to be vigilant to lot codes, retailers must stock and rotate responsibly, and manufacturers must have stringent sanitation to keep the season’s sweetest treat safe. Until new stock with new lot numbers circulates, the wisest scoop may be to inspect before you bite.
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