Kroger's warm message for Blue Bell ice cream said it all: "Welcome back Blue Bell, you are not just an ice cream, you are family!"

Fans and stores across North Texas waited with bated breath for the Blue Bell comeback on Monday, Nov. 2. A trip to the grocery store early that morning showed buyers already lining up and getting multiple tubs of their favorite ice cream, which had been taken off the shelves for months following a listeria scare.

The company is heavily relying on its fans more than the deals it can cut with retailers, as it hopes to reclaim its abandoned market. If the early signs are any indication, it shouldn't be too hard for Blue Bell to get back in business.

Grocery stores across the region reported how die-hard fans had been waiting from the wee hours of the morning for the delivery trucks' arrival. When asked, some even proclaimed they were going to have the ice cream for breakfast.

Obviously, it has been a rather sad summer for these fiercely loyal Blue Bell fans who will now be the key to driving positive messages about the brand everywhere.

The Brenham, Texas-based ice cream maker has planned a five-phase rollout for its comeback. Phase one filled freezers in the Houston and Austin areas, as well as parts of Alabama, on Aug. 31. This was phase two — a limited return across North Texas and some parts of Oklahoma. This will also show Blue Bell the sales prospects and what to expect in the coming months.

It's not just the fans but also the retailers who will have a big hand in boosting the comeback sales. Since Blue Bell ice cream has always moved off the shelf quickly and has high profit margins, the ice cream has been popular with stores. They are hoping for the same mutual support as retailers like Kroger plan to increase space for the reintroduction.

This time around, however, the company has cut its market size. Before the recall, Blue Bell was available in 23 states, but now it has plans for only 15. As of now, the company announced that it has no plans to return to Arizona, Indiana, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Nevada, Kentucky or Virginia. It will be late December/early January for it to return to Louisiana as well.

That means that each area will have to now account for a larger revenue share. Also, the ice cream is down from close to 40 flavors to just five right now, which includes Buttered Pecan, Cookies 'n' Cream, Dutch Chocolate, Homemade Vanilla and The Great Divide.

But for those who just cannot do without it anymore, there is good news. Blue Bell will deliver the yummy goodness right down to your doorstep if you are ready to pay around $129 for four half gallons of ice cream. While many think this is a publicity gimmick, the way the comeback craze has spread across the states, it wouldn't be surprising to see reports of large-scale deliveries either. For those who don't want to shell out the pretty penny, it is going to be an extended waiting game.

The comeback is also good news for the local economies where the factories are located. City leaders in these areas have reported that the counties have taken more hits than ice cream company itself. The closure has impacted the lives of its workers, which in turn has affected their purchasing powers, extending the hit to the local economies.

During the closure in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, sales tax numbers were down almost every month, along with loss in revenue from the annual Taste of Broken Arrow event, one of the fundraisers in the area. The Blue Bell plant has been in Broken Arrow for more than two decades, becoming an intrinsic part of their economy.

Local leaders are keeping their finger crossed about the comeback and hope they don't have to see any more closures in future.