Florida's Natural sends more than 20 pallets of orange juice to Wisconsin after Brewers win

Florida's Natural

SHEBOYGAN FALLS, Wis. (CBS 58) — Wisconsin gets the bragging rights, and Florida is sending the juice.

Following the Milwaukee Brewers' Game 5 victory in Tampa, Florida's Natural is making good on its World Series wager with Johnsonville by sending more than 20 pallets of orange juice to Wisconsin — the equivalent of roughly 200 kegs.

A portion of the shipment will be on display Friday outside the Italian Community Center along Milwaukee's championship parade route. Fans will be able to pick up orange juice and take photos as the city celebrates the Brewers' first World Series title.

Additional cases will be delivered to local businesses in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward, where representatives from Johnsonville and Florida's Natural plan to distribute cartons to fans and establishments for special drinks and championship toasts.

Several pallets will also be donated to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.

"Florida's Natural came through in a big way, and its mission of spreading goodness is fitting," Jamie Schmelzer, vice president of marketing at Johnsonville, said. "We've never received thousands of cartons of orange juice at once before, and we're excited to get the juice directly into the hands of fans."

Schmelzer joked that plenty of the orange juice will likely end up in mimosas and beermosas, but said the company was especially pleased that the wager would also benefit families across the region.

"The juice was worth the squeeze, and our head of supply chain is breathing a big sigh of relief right now," Schmelzer said.

The friendly wager was announced last week. Johnsonville had agreed to send 413,554 brats — one for every Tampa resident — if the Rays won the World Series.

Instead, after Milwaukee clinched the championship Wednesday night, Florida's Natural began preparing its shipment to Wisconsin, getting a semitruck on the road within hours.

"We were looking forward to those brats, but since we have to pay up, we might as well make it juicy," Kelly Wade, director of marketing at Florida's Natural, said. "We're happy to be here to add a little Florida goodness to the festivities, and a dose of Vitamin C as well."

Wade said the companies were happy to see the friendly rivalry become part of Wisconsin's championship celebration.

"It's great to see this friendly rivalry play out with Wisconsin fans and families during a time they will remember for years to come," Wade said. "Congratulations!"

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