A different kind of Brat summer: Johnsonville will offer an 80-pound, 249-link variety pack of sausages, brats, and hot dogs, which comes with its own hand truck

Chris Morris

<ul>
<li><strong>Johnsonville is offering an 80 lb, 249-link box of sausages</strong>. The promotional item will be sent to winning entrants right before July 4 of this year. It comes with its own hand truck.</li>
</ul>



<p>Memorial Day is the start of cookout season—and if you want to be the talk of the neighborhood (or, if you&#8217;re greedy, the local hospital&#8217;s cardiac ward), Johnsonville might have just the product for you.</p><div class="paywall-selector"></div><div class="paywall">



<p>The sausage company will roll out the Johnsonville Party Starter this summer: an 80-pound, 249-link collection of <a href="https://fortune.com/2016/04/18/mcdonalds-johnsonville-brats/">bratwurst</a>, Cheddar smoked sausage, and hot dogs. And you won&#8217;t have to pay a dime for it or figure out how to fit it into your car&#8217;s trunk.</p>



<p>The promotion for the BBQ feast runs through June 16. Winners will be chosen the following day and the Party Starter packs will be shipped to winners the week of June 30, just in time for a blowout Fourth of July cookout.</p>



<p>To win, you&#8217;ll need to write a short—really short—essay saying why you should receive the kit. You&#8217;ll have 249 characters to plead your case. Head to <a href="http://www.partystarter249.com/">the company website</a> to enter.</p>



<p>Why the emphasis on &#8220;249&#8221; with this promotion? The summer of 2025 will mark the country&#8217;s 249th birthday. While next year will likely see promotions galore from companies and the government, Johnsonville wanted to get started on celebrating a bit early.</p>



<p>“We know lots of organizations—even the White House—are focused on America’s 250th in 2026,” said Jamie Schmelzer, vice president of marketing at Johnsonville. “But the data is clear: America needs fun now. We’re encouraging people to celebrate our 249th because many of us agree that having fun together is an important part of making progress.”</p>



<p>In addition to the meatapalooza, winners will receive company swag and a hand cart to help them bring all those links to the grill. You&#8217;re on your own for side items, though.</p></div>

Johnsonville will offer an 80-lb., 249-link variety pack of sausages, brats, and hot dogs

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