Whole Foods Market announces that it is recalling Crave Brothers Les Frères cheese in response to a recall by the Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese Company of Waterloo, Wisconsin. The cheese is being recalled because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. To date, one illness and one death have been reported. Crave Brothers was informed by regulatory agencies of an ongoing investigation related to potential health risks associated with Listeria monocytogenes. The company immediately ceased the production and distribution of the products.

The recalled Crave Brothers Les Frères cheese was cut and packaged in clear plastic wrap and sold with Whole Foods Market scale labels. Below is a list of how the cheese was labeled, including PLU code, according to the state in which it was sold.

State Labeled as PLU
Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas Les Frères 299682
Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, New Mexico, Utah Crave Brothers Les Frères 299682
Florida Les Frères Wash Rind Product of USA 294473
Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey (stores in Marlton and Princeton only), Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Washington D.C. Crave Bros Les Frères 294473
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin Crave Brothers Les Frères Cheese by Pound 294473
Oregon, Washington Les Frères Crave Brothers 294473
Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee Les Frères Crave Brothers PO-RK 294473

Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Listeria outbreaks. The Listeria lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Listeria and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our Listeria lawyers have litigated Listeria cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, cheese, celery and milk. Marler Clark is presently representing 44 victims and their families in the 2011 Jensen Farms Listeria cantaloupe outbreak and 2 women, one who lost her child in the 2012 Marte brand Frescolina ricotta salata cheese Listeria outbreak.

If you or a family member became ill with a Listeria infection after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Listeria attorneys for a free case evaluation.