Wisconsin is known for a variety of delicious things. Take for instance the classic bratwurst, the iconic backyard barbeque ingredient and tailgating must-have. Or the ooey-gooey lusciousness of Wisconsin cheese that no card-carrying Wisconsinite can resist.
Turns out both of these items are coming together in a new offering created by two Wisconsin-based companies: Palermo’s Pizza and Johnsonville.
Of course, this begs the question: How did this idea take so long to come to fruition?
We may never know the answer. But, what we do know is that the Screamin’ Sicilian Johnsonville Brat Pepper and Onion Pizza has hit store shelves around the state, and is said to embody the pizza of Wisconsin’s dreams.
The new premium craft pizza begins with a medium-thick buttery stone-fired crust that’s loaded with slices of Johnsonville brats, plenty of whole milk mozzarella cheese, fire roasted onions, red and green peppers and a special secret recipe tomato sauce
"We are always looking for new ways to innovate and to push the boundaries of what pizza looks like," noted Nick Fallucca, chief product and innovation officer for Palermo Villa in a release on the new pizza. "Putting Johnsonville brats on our Pizza and creating the classic flavors of grilling out seemed like a perfectly Wisconsin thing to do."
Of course, Johnsonville agrees.
"As a family-owned, Wisconsin based company, we’re always game for new opportunities that offer our customers new and exciting flavors and products," added Craig Yoder, a senior product marketing manager for Johnsonville Foodservice "We’re delighted to partner with another family-owned, Wisconsin-based company in Palermo’s to provide a high-quality product that we think customers will truly enjoy."
But there’s more.
Screamin’ Sicilian is also rolling out another new pizza, the Brazen Buffalo, which aims to tickle Buffalo chicken lovers tastebuds with Buffalo style spiced chicken, strips of bacon, whole milk mozzarella cheese, white cheddar cheese, and spicy buffalo style sauce atop their classic stone fired crust.
Both the Brazen Buffalo and Sicilian Johnsonville Brat Pepper and Onion Pizza have a suggested retail price of $8.99 and can be found locally at retailers including Festival Foods, Piggly Wiggly, Meijer, Sendik’s, Woodman’s, and select venues operated by Kroger.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.