Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes have been linked to a deadly outbreak of Listeria illnesses in nursing homes, hospitals, and long-term care facilities nationwide.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shake induced Listeria cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with Listeria, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
UPDATE: Sysco Stops Buying Shakes From Facility Linked to Deadly Listeria Outbreak
On February 21, 2025, the Texas-based Sysco Corporation announced that it will stop all purchases of shakes and other products from the Fort Wayne, Indiana facility that supplied Sysco Imperial Shakes in a deadly outbreak of Listeria.
“Sysco is immediately removing all the recalled items from its inventory, notifying potentially implicated downstream customers of the recall, and halting production of all products that originate from that facility.”
Sysco Imperial Shakes Linked to Deadly Listeria Outbreak
In February 2025, health officials linked a deadly outbreak of Listeria infections to Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes and Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Shakes that were made by Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. in Fort Wayne, Indiana, since 2018.
Many people in this outbreak lived in long-term care facilities or were hospitalized before becoming sick.
The shakes were used in nursing homes, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and food-service operators. They were not sold in stores.
What Happened?
As of February 24, 2025, a total of 38 people have been infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes from 21 states. Of those people, 37 were hospitalized and 12 deaths were reported, according to the Food Safety Alert.
CDC Warns of Listeria Outbreak Linked to Supplemental Shakes in Long-Term Care Facilities
This is a long-running outbreak, with the first illnesses reported in 2018. The most recent illness was reported in January 2025.
According to the CDC Safety Warning:
“While cases date back to 2018, over half of the people affected by this outbreak got sick in either 2024 or 2025. It is common for Listeria outbreaks to last several years because it is an incredibly hardy germ that can survive on surfaces for long periods of time.”
What Are Sysco Imperial Frozen Shakes?
Sysco Imperial and ReadyCare Shakes were not sold in stores. They were used in nursing homes, hospitals, and long-term care facilities. The shakes were sold frozen, and then defrosted to a thick liquid consistency.
These high-calorie shakes were given to people on “soft diets” due to trouble swallowing. They were also used to prevent unintended weight-loss, and support digestive health with added fiber and protein.
FDA Finds Listeria in Manufacturing Facility
The FDA visited the Prairie Farms manufacturing facility and discovered a strain of Listeria in the processing area that matched the strain of Listeria that was making people sick.
How To Identify Recalled Products
On February 22, 2025, Lyons Magnus LLC recalled 4 oz. cartons of Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shakes due to a deadly outbreak of Listeria.
The recalled products were sold under the following names:
- Sysco Imperial Frozen Vanilla Shake
- Sysco Imperial Frozen Chocolate Shake
- Sysco Imperial Frozen Strawberry Shake
- Sysco Imperial Frozen Vanilla Shake NSA
- Sysco Imperial Frozen Strawberry Shake NSA
- Sysco Imperial Frozen Strawberry Banana Shake NSA
- Imperial Frozen Chocolate Shake NSA
The recall also involves Lyons ReadyCare shakes, including the following products:
- Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Vanilla Shake
- Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Chocolate Shake
- Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Strawberry Shake
- Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Vanilla Shake NSA
- Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Strawberry Shake NSA
- Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Chocolate Shake Plus
- Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Strawberry Shake Plus
- Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Vanilla Shake Plus
- Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Strawberry Banana Shake NSA
- Lyons ReadyCare Frozen Chocolate Shake NSA
Elderly People at High-Risk of Listeria Infections
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections. The risk is highest in frail or elderly people over 65 years old, young children, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and their newborn infants.
Signs & Symptoms of Listeria
The symptoms of an infection with Listeria can start within 24 hours of eating contaminated food, but it can take up to 10 weeks for the symptoms to appear. High-risk people are more likely to suffer a life-threatening complication like an invasive infection or meningitis.
The symptoms of Listeria typically include:
- Fever
- Flu-like symptoms, such as muscle aches and fatigue
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
- Seizures
Do I have a Sysco Imperial Shake Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Sysco Imperial Frozen Supplemental Shake induced Listeria cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with Listeria, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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