Pete & Gerry’s Egg Recall | 2019 Almark Listeria Outbreak

Almark Foods, based in Gainesville, Georgia, recalled hard-boiled and hard-cooked egg products in December 2019. Regulators traced a multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak to its plant. The recall included Pete & Gerry’s-branded eggs sold at grocery retailers across the country. CDC’s investigation confirmed the outbreak’s illnesses and hospitalizations across several states, including one death in Texas. The agency declared the outbreak over in March 2020. As of September 2026, no lawsuit, class action, or multidistrict litigation has been filed against Almark Foods or Pete & Gerry’s over this outbreak. Attorneys are reviewing the outbreak’s confirmed illnesses and hospitalizations for possible individual injury claims.

Latest Pete & Gerry’s Lawsuit Updates

March 4, 2020: CDC Closes Outbreak Investigation

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published its final update on the Almark Foods Listeria monocytogenes outbreak, confirming the case count investigators had documented and declaring it over [1]. CDC said investigators had linked the illnesses to Almark Foods’ Gainesville, Georgia, processing plant. The investigation had run for more than two and a half years before CDC closed it.

December 23, 2019: Almark Foods Expands Recall to Include Pete & Gerry’s Eggs

Almark Foods expanded its recall to cover all hard-boiled and hard-cooked egg products made at its Gainesville, Georgia, plant. The expanded recall included retail lines carrying the Pete & Gerry’s brand [2]. The expansion followed an FDA sample at the plant whose genetic profile was closely related to the outbreak’s bacteria. It covered products with Best If Used By dates through March 2, 2020, marked with a Gainesville plant code prefix.

December 20, 2019: Almark Foods Recalls Hard-Boiled Eggs Sold in Pails

Almark Foods issued its initial voluntary recall for Hard-Boiled and Peeled Eggs sold in pails to food-service distributors and restaurant chain suppliers. FDA had notified the company of a possible Listeria link before the recall [3]. This earlier recall covered bulk pails sold to food-service distributors and did not name any retail brand. Pete & Gerry’s products entered the recall only after the December 23 expansion.

What Is Listeria Monocytogenes?

Listeria monocytogenes is a type of bacteria that can contaminate food, according to CDC [4]. People who eat contaminated food can become infected with an illness called listeriosis, which can be intestinal or invasive. Invasive listeriosis is most serious for pregnant people, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. CDC says people with this form are treated with antibiotics.

Who May Be Affected?

Almark Foods made the hard-boiled and hard-cooked eggs at its Gainesville, Georgia, facility between April 2017 and December 2019. That span is the outbreak’s full exposure window. People who ate them during that window fall within the circumstances CDC’s investigation documented, including buyers of Pete & Gerry’s recalled retail packages. A diagnosed Listeria monocytogenes infection developing within about ten weeks of eating the product matches the illness pattern CDC reported. That is the specific circumstance that connects an illness to this outbreak rather than another cause. Pregnant people, newborns, adults 65 and older, and people whose immune system is weakened faced the outbreak’s highest risk [5]. Confirming whether a specific illness matches these risk factors takes an individual legal review.

Reported Injuries or Damages

CDC documented eight confirmed Listeria monocytogenes illnesses, with cases spread across five states. Five of those patients were hospitalized, and one person in Texas died. One illness involved a newborn infected in the womb who survived. These figures cover the outbreak as a whole, across every recalled Almark product. CDC’s report does not break out cases by brand, so it does not say how many were tied specifically to Pete & Gerry’s-labeled eggs. Investigators traced the source to Almark’s Gainesville, Georgia, plant. Whole genome sequencing showed bacteria from an FDA environmental sample there was closely related genetically to bacteria from ill patients, tying the facility to the outbreak.

Recall and Regulatory Background

Consumers who still have the recalled Pete & Gerry’s or Almark Foods egg products were told to discard them rather than eat or sell them. FDA and CDC have since closed both the recall and the outbreak investigation. A recall does not automatically establish liability or eligibility for compensation. See Almark Foods Egg Recall for the full recall and outbreak timeline.

Evidence to Preserve

Evidence that can help support a possible legal claim connected to this outbreak includes the following:

• Purchase receipts, credit card statements, or store loyalty records showing a purchase of Pete & Gerry’s or Almark hard-boiled egg products
• The product package itself, including its printed Best If Used By date and the Gainesville, Georgia, plant code prefix “G” on the label
• Photographs of the product, its packaging, and any remaining contents, taken before the package is thrown away or the eggs are eaten
• Medical records documenting a diagnosed Listeria monocytogenes infection, the treatment received, and any hospitalization connected to the illness
• The treating healthcare provider’s notes on when symptoms began and how they connect the illness to the eggs that were eaten
• Any correspondence with Almark Foods, a retailer, or a doctor about the recall, the illness, or a possible refund

Saving these items soon after diagnosis, rather than after time has passed, keeps the record more complete for anyone who later pursues a claim.

Filing Deadlines

Deadlines for filing a Listeria-related injury claim come from state law, not from this page, and they are not the same everywhere. The applicable deadline depends on where the person lived and when the illness or diagnosis happened. In some states, the deadline instead depends on when the link to the recalled eggs was discovered. Missing the deadline can end a claim even with strong supporting facts, so anyone considering a claim should check with a lawyer promptly.

Potential Compensation

A Listeria-related claim may be pursued if the facts support it. Compensation categories that may apply can include medical expenses, lost income from the illness, and pain and suffering tied to a documented diagnosis. No named public settlement or court verdict has been reported in this matter. Compensation amounts vary by case. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Potential compensation categories are not automatic: naming one for a specific claim takes the medical records and other evidence behind it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many People Got Sick from the Almark Foods Egg Recall?

Eight people were confirmed sick in the Almark Foods egg recall outbreak, according to CDC’s final report. Reported Injuries or Damages above lists the hospitalizations and the death CDC confirmed among those cases.

How Long Did CDC’s Investigation into the Almark Foods Listeria Outbreak Last?

CDC’s investigation into the Almark Foods Listeria outbreak drew on laboratory specimens collected from ill patients between April 10, 2017, and December 7, 2019, before the outbreak was declared over in 2020. Latest Pete & Gerry’s Lawsuit Updates above states how long that investigation ran in total.

What Are the Symptoms of Listeria Infection?

Symptoms of Listeria infection can include fever, muscle aches, and fatigue. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions can follow. Anyone who ate a recalled product and develops these signs should tell a healthcare provider.

Can I File a Claim If I Bought Pete & Gerry’s Eggs but Never Got Sick?

No, you generally cannot file a claim if you bought Pete & Gerry’s eggs but never got sick. Only people who developed a diagnosed Listeria monocytogenes infection connected to this outbreak have circumstances a review can evaluate.

What Does the Research Say About the Source of the Listeria Outbreak?

CDC’s research into the outbreak’s source drew on an FDA environmental sample collected at Almark’s Gainesville, Georgia, plant during a December 2019 inspection, before whole genome sequencing linked its bacteria to ill patients. Reported Injuries or Damages above explains that genetic match in full.

Were Other Egg Brands Included in the Almark Foods Recall?

Yes, other egg brands were included in the Almark Foods recall. Dozens of private-label and branded hard-boiled egg lines beyond Pete & Gerry’s were recalled too. Those brands include 7-Select, Best Choice, Food Club, Fresh Thyme, Giant Eagle, LIDL, Lucerne, Nellie’s, and ShopRite. All were made at the same Gainesville plant.

References

1. https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/listeria/outbreaks/eggs-12-19/index.html
2. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/almark-foods-expanded-recall-all-products-its-georgia-facility-due-possible-listeria-monocytogenes
3. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/almark-foods-recalls-hard-cooked-egg-products-pails-due-possible-listeria-monocytogenes
4. https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/about/index.html
5. https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/risk-factors/index.html