Whole Foods Market recalls Crave Brothers Les Frères cheese after one illness, one death

Whole Foods Market is recalling Crave Brothers Les Frères cheese due to a recall by the Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese Co. of Waterloo, Wisconsin. The cheese 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

Signage is posted in Whole Foods Market stores to notify customers of this recall. Customers who have purchased this product from Whole Foods Market should discard it, and may bring in their receipt for a full refund. 

Questions about this can be directed to 512-477-5566 ext. 20060, Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5 pm CDT. Consumers with questions about Crave Brothers cheese may contact the company directly: Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese Company at 920-478-4887, Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5 pm CDT.