BRENHAM, Texas - Lovers of Blue Bell ice cream are preparing to scream for ice cream once again as the brand readies for its to return to Louisiana in about four weeks.

The Texas-based company announced Tuesday that it would begin “phase four” of its reopening process with deliveries to Louisiana and Jackson, Mississippi resuming on Dec. 21.

“We are excited to announce phase four and look forward to expanding our distribution area,” said Ricky Dickson, VP of sales and marketing for Blue Bell. “Our customers have shown great patience over the past several months and we cannot thank them enough.”

While the return to shelves is welcomed, the initial flavor offerings returning to store freezers will be limited to just five. Buttered Pecan, Cookies ’n Cream, Dutch Chocolate, Homemade Vanilla and the Great Divide (half chocolate and half vanilla) are the flavors Blue Bell plans to roll out as distribution resumes.

"Great. Now I want ice cream," said Brock Sues, a former occasional consumer of Blue Bell ice cream. "It's downright criminal to bring back Blue Bell and not bring back Creole Cream Cheese. When can I get my hands on some Creole Cream Cheese?"

The main plant in Texas hopes to expand its offering of flavors in the not so distant future, but their announcement did not contain a definitive timeline for flavor reintroduction specifics. It has been close to seven months since Blue Bell was forced to halt production of its products due to listeria contamination at several of its plants. The tainted delights were linked to 10 cases of listeria illness in four states and three deaths in Kansas.