Gear up and blaze your own trail with a Wild Bill's business!

Leadership says the system now includes 15 strong franchisees, with 50+ wagons actively operating in the field and another 10 currently in development. Growth has been driven by employee transitions, veteran ownership, and inbound fans who discovered the brand at shows.

The goal for near-term expansion is intentional: add only what the team can support well.

Financially and operationally, the company is coming off its strongest stretch since the pandemic reset, with live events ramped up and a clear focus on franchising as the scalable path forward. In short: the concept is proven, demand is visible in public crowds and the growth plan favors quality over speed.

Wild Bill’s sits at the intersection of three fast-growing categories.

1. Craft Soda is on a steady rise.
   1. The global market was valued at $714 million in 2023 and is projected to reach $1.01 billion by 2030 (5.1% CAGR). In the United States, craft soda sales were about $119 million in 2023 and are forecast to hit $158 million by 2030 (4.2% CAGR).
2. The modern soda/better-for-you segment is exploding. 
   1. The U.S. market has grown into a $1.8 billion category with 83% year-over-year growth. Functional sodas — prebiotic, botanical and low-sugar — are projected to expand from $1.95 billion in 2025 to $8.11 billion by 2035 at a 15.3% CAGR.
3. Drinkware is a booming companion category. 
   1. The North American drinkware market was worth $7.24 billion in 2023, on track to hit $11.45 billion by 2030 (6.8% CAGR). Stainless steel and insulated formats are driving that growth: stainless steel alone will grow from $3.5 billion in 2024 to $5.8 billion by 2033.

By pairing bold nostalgic craft sodas, better-for-you innovations and collectible stainless-steel mugs with unlimited refill programs, Wild Bill’s is positioned at the center of three converging consumer trends — each with significant market momentum.

An experience, not a soda stand. The Wild West-style wagon, a row of taps and a line of gleaming mugs are a calling card — and a crowd magnet. But what really keeps fans coming back is what’s inside those taps: Wild Bill’s small-batch craft sodas. From classics like Root Beer and Vanilla Cream to playful favorites like Rocket Pop, Ring Pop™ Blue Raspberry and Orange Cream, the flavors are as much a part of the tradition as the mug itself. Guests purchase a collectible mug for unlimited day-of refills and can bring it back to future events for special pricing. For those who want to take the flavor home, Wild Bill’s sodas are also available in cans — crafted in small batches with pure cane sugar. The ritual is simple, flavorful and memorable — a craft soda experience that families and fans seek out year after year.

Veteran-led purpose. Wild Bill’s is proudly veteran-owned and has built a community around serving those who’ve served — an ethos that shows up in recruiting, storytelling and franchisee pathways for veterans.

Event-first flywheel. Most brands treat events as marketing. Wild Bill’s treats them as profit centers that also fuel everything else. 

Transparent, paced growth. The team is candid about its focus: build the infrastructure — tech stack, lead flow, support — to onboard new owners the right way. Today, Square powers POS and data. While the current Franchise Disclosure Document does not yet include Item 19, leadership has prioritized adding it as the system scales.

You like being where the action is — and you’re comfortable leading a small mobile team. Owners who thrive here are hands-on operators with strong logistics, people skills and a bias for preparation. You don’t need restaurant or beverage experience; you do need hustle, organization and a willingness to work weekends when the best shows happen. Veterans tend to be a natural fit given the cadence of event operations and the mission behind the brand.

If you’re looking for a business with visible demand, simple staffing and a buildable asset (more wagons, bigger calendar, better events), Wild Bill’s offers a clear path: start with a wagon, master your market and scale your schedule.

Start simple, learn by doing. Discovery often begins on the midway: candidates visit a live event, meet the team and work a shift. After signing, the brand provides training and support for the first event. Training can take place onsite with the franchisee or at Wild Bill’s headquarters in Allentown, PA.

Support that keeps pace. The company has shifted from reactive to structured support, with growing resources across local marketing, content, PR and digital — plus an always-on help desk and a centralized intranet for assets and updates.

A system built on selectivity. Wild Bill’s aims to add what it can support. That’s why the near-term target is about 15 new franchises annually, aligned to support capacity and candidate quality. The result is a network where owners know the playbook, the brand knows the owners, and best practices move quickly.