Wild Bill's Craft Beverage Company

When&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-bauerschmidt-704a207/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=wild-bills-veteran-franchisee-expansion-new-england-2731016" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Kurt Bauerschmidt</a> discovered&nbsp;<a href="https://drinkwildbills.com/pages/franchise-opportunity?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=wild-bills-veteran-franchisee-expansion-new-england-2731016" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage Co.</a>, a traveling craft soda brand known for its stainless-steel mugs, refill stations and presence at fairs and festivals, he immediately saw a strong business opportunity.&nbsp;"I was exposed to the concept at an event I was at, did some research and discovered&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills/info">Wild Bill’s</a>," he said. "I thought the concept was great and then did the financials and saw it was a great business financially. That was 11 years ago."Since then, Bauerschmidt has become a leading force behind Wild Bill's growing presence in the Northeast. Running the New England region for more than a decade, he has helped thousands of people experience Wild Bill’s classic handcrafted sodas and distinctive event-based model.&nbsp;<h2>From Service to Soda&nbsp;</h2>Drawing on his time in the Navy reserves, along with his business background and leadership experience, Bauerschmidt has shaped a disciplined approach to running his operation. "I saw that my sales experience and management would allow me to function well in this business space," he said.That mix of discipline and entrepreneurship has helped him expand Wild Bill’s footprint across the region. Over the past 11 years, Bauerschmidt has steadily built event partnerships and brand visibility, representing Wild Bill’s at fairs, festivals and community gatherings that capture the adventurous, all-American feel the brand is known for.“I’ve expanded the Wild Bill’s brand quite a bit in eleven years running New England,” Bauerschmidt said. “I see the next expansion bringing private events and opening a different silo of revenue.”He’s passionate about taking the brand beyond public events by creating opportunities for customers to bring Wild Bill’s to their own celebrations. "By exposing more people at events to our great products, they can expose their friends and family to Wild Bills at a private event such as a party," he said.<h2>Making an Impact Beyond Business</h2>One of Bauerschmidt's proudest achievements has been sharing Wild Bill’s with the campers at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.doublehranch.org/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=wild-bills-veteran-franchisee-expansion-new-england-2731016" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Double H Ranch</a>, a camp for children with serious illnesses. “During the summer we would go up about six times and make ice cream floats for about 100 campers as a donation on my part," he said. "My employees have helped over the years as well."&nbsp;This commitment to giving back reflects Wild Bill’s mission to connect with people and spread joy, values that align closely with Bauerschmidt’s own purpose and leadership.<h2>Building a Legacy</h2>For other veterans thinking about franchising, Bauerschmidt says not to wait for the perfect moment.&nbsp; "Make the jump sooner then later as it will change your life forever and give you the freedom to be in control of your success," he said.&nbsp;Looking ahead, Bauerschmidt is excited about where Wild Bill’s is heading. “What excites me most is creating a legacy for my family,” he said.From serving his country to serving up handcrafted soda across New England, Bauerschmidt has built a life and business powered by purpose and a taste of American tradition.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills.">https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills.</a>&nbsp;

Fueled by Freedom: How This Veteran Franchisee Is Expanding Wild Bill’s Across New England

Veteran Franchisee Expands Wild Bill’s Across New England

1851 Franchise

Military veteran and entrepreneur Kurt Bauerschmidt is bringing Wild Bill’s handcrafted soda experience to more fans across the Northeast through passion, discipline and community connection.

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LAS VEGAS&nbsp;—&nbsp;<a href="https://drinkwildbills.com/pages/franchise-opportunity">Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage Co.</a>, known for transforming fairs, festivals and conventions into full-day experiences built around its signature refillable mug and small-batch craft sodas, has announced the signing of a new franchise agreement in Las Vegas. Military veteran&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-creamer/">Chris Creamer</a> will bring&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills/info">Wild Bill’s</a> event-first soda experience to the city.&nbsp;For Creamer, the decision to join Wild Bill’s came after a long career of service and leadership, from his years in the U.S. Army and Air Force to his time managing corporate facilities and later owning a home care business.“I went to a few events that Wild Bill’s was working. I saw their plan in action and I tried their product, and that’s what sells it,” Creamer said. “Once you try their soda, it’s amazing. It’s all made with pure cane sugar. It is a superior product. Once you’ve tried it, it kind of sells itself.”&nbsp;Wild Bill’s offers an event-based franchise model built around mobility, engagement and community connection, qualities that align closely with Creamer’s own leadership background.“I love the Wild Bill’s model because you’re out there with the people,” Creamer said. “You’re meeting people. You’re seeing all these different sides to everything. I think it’s awesome.”Creamer plans to make Wild Bill’s a familiar name across Las Vegas by appearing at conventions, expos and local attractions. “I want to build up my circuit,” he said. “I’ve got events on my schedule, but I want to build that up and make Wild Bill’s a part of the community out here, where everybody knows the Wild Bill’s brand and knows that it’s a good product.”The franchise’s early calendar includes events such as Level Up Expo, MagicCon and Sin City Anime, Anime Night Market, Las Vegas Pirate Festival and Las Vegas Highland Games. Looking ahead, Creamer plans to expand into larger-scale opportunities across other premier venues, including arenas, stadiums, convention centers, racetracks, and similar high-traffic event spaces.&nbsp;Creamer officially launched in 2026, with plans to expand Wild Bill’s local presence throughout Nevada.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills">https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills</a>.About Wild Bill's Craft Beverage Co.Wild Bill's has been crafting premium, non-alcoholic craft sodas for over 20 years, serving customers at events nationwide. With a focus on creating nostalgia-evoking flavors, Wild Bill's sodas are available online, at local retailers, and at hundreds of events annually.As a veteran-owned and operated business, Wild Bill's is dedicated to supporting veterans through meaningful employment opportunities and partnerships with veteran-focused nonprofits.&nbsp;

image of Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage Co in Las Vegas, with Military veteran Chris Creamer franchisee

Wild Bill’s Taps Military Veteran Chris Creamer for Las Vegas

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When&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-bauerschmidt-704a207/">Kurt Bauerschmidt</a> discovered&nbsp;<a href="https://drinkwildbills.com/pages/franchise-opportunity">Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage Co.</a>, a traveling craft soda brand known for its stainless-steel mugs, refill stations and presence at fairs and festivals, he immediately saw a strong business opportunity.&nbsp;"I was exposed to the concept at an event I was at, did some research and discovered&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills/info">Wild Bill’s</a>," he said. "I thought the concept was great and then did the financials and saw it was a great business financially. That was 11 years ago."Since then, Bauerschmidt has become a leading force behind Wild Bill's growing presence in the Northeast. Running the New England region for more than a decade, he has helped thousands of people experience Wild Bill’s classic handcrafted sodas and distinctive event-based model.&nbsp;<h2>From Service to Soda&nbsp;</h2>Drawing on his time in the Navy reserves, along with his business background and leadership experience, Bauerschmidt has shaped a disciplined approach to running his operation. "I saw that my sales experience and management would allow me to function well in this business space," he said.That mix of discipline and entrepreneurship has helped him expand Wild Bill’s footprint across the region. Over the past 11 years, Bauerschmidt has steadily built event partnerships and brand visibility, representing Wild Bill’s at fairs, festivals and community gatherings that capture the adventurous, all-American feel the brand is known for.“I’ve expanded the Wild Bill’s brand quite a bit in eleven years running New England,” Bauerschmidt said. “I see the next expansion bringing private events and opening a different silo of revenue.”He’s passionate about taking the brand beyond public events by creating opportunities for customers to bring Wild Bill’s to their own celebrations. "By exposing more people at events to our great products, they can expose their friends and family to Wild Bills at a private event such as a party," he said.<h2>Making an Impact Beyond Business</h2>One of Bauerschmidt's proudest achievements has been sharing Wild Bill’s with the campers at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.doublehranch.org/">Double H Ranch</a>, a camp for children with serious illnesses. “During the summer we would go up about six times and make ice cream floats for about 100 campers as a donation on my part," he said. "My employees have helped over the years as well."&nbsp;This commitment to giving back reflects Wild Bill’s mission to connect with people and spread joy, values that align closely with Bauerschmidt’s own purpose and leadership.<h2>Building a Legacy</h2>For other veterans thinking about franchising, Bauerschmidt says not to wait for the perfect moment.&nbsp; "Make the jump sooner then later as it will change your life forever and give you the freedom to be in control of your success," he said.&nbsp;Looking ahead, Bauerschmidt is excited about where Wild Bill’s is heading. “What excites me most is creating a legacy for my family,” he said.From serving his country to serving up handcrafted soda across New England, Bauerschmidt has built a life and business powered by purpose and a taste of American tradition.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills.">https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills.</a>&nbsp;

Wild Bill's Craft Soda Franchise - Scottsdale-Phoenix Arizona Expansion - 1851 Franchise

Wild Bill’s Expands in the Valley as Two Army Veterans Launch Scottsdale-Phoenix Operations

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Wild Bill's Franchise - Courtney Brown - A Day in the Life - 1851 Franchise

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After more than two decades as a fixture on the American event circuit,&nbsp;<a href="https://drinkwildbills.com/pages/franchise-opportunity">Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage Co.</a> is more than just a beloved soda brand. In 2025, the veteran-founded company also strengthened its franchise model by shifting more control to franchisees, laying a strong foundation for a franchise-focused push in 2026.&nbsp;“This was a big transition year for us” said Chief Growth Officer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mruddo/">Michael Russo</a>.&nbsp; “This was when we shifted our focus to franchising in a meaningful way.”Having built a strong brand at events, fairs, festivals and more, the shift marks a deliberate evolution for the heritage soda brand. While events remain a core element of its brand,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills/info">Wild Bill’s</a> spent 2025 restructuring how the event-based activations can drive further franchise growth.“Events have been our core since 2002, for 23 years, and they always will be. And as a system, we’ll have done about 500 events this year,” Russo said. “But the brand has evolved beyond events. The big focus next year is selling more franchises while staying authentic to who we are: veteran-owned and operated, doing this for veterans and turning them into business owners.”<h2>Building a Veteran-First Franchise Engine</h2>Wild Bill’s has famously focused on a veteran-first approach to its business, a model that remains at the heart of the current franchising efforts. This year, the company converted veteran employees into franchise owners and added additional new operators through its military network, including an Air Force veteran in Las Vegas and a pair of Army veterans in Phoenix.That momentum will be even more visible moving forward. One franchise is slated to open in Utah under a West Point graduate and another will be launched by a Marine Corps veteran in the San Diego area in early 2026.The company is also expanding franchisee support, a key selling point for many veterans transitioning into franchise ownership. In an effort to better aid growth while supporting franchise owners, Wild Bill’s has invested heavily in operational infrastructure, including promoting Army veteran&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisnorvold/">Chris Norvold</a> to vice president of operations.“One of the biggest wins this year was converting veteran employees into franchisees. We’ve also built a pipeline,” said CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-quilty-4b973b4/">Michael Quilty</a>.&nbsp;“Veteran entrepreneurship is part of our foundation. But we also include first responders and people who share our values. Not all franchisees are veterans. Cultural fit and shared values matter most.”<h2>Expansion Efforts</h2>This year, Wild Bill’s returned to the New York Comic Con and made its company debut at The Oceana Air Show. But 2025 saw retail growth as well, with the brand adding new retail locations.“We added about 15 to 20 new retail trading partners, including direct retailers and distributors. 1,500 new locations,” Russo said. “We have canned soda available nationally&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/79706560-FFE0-4A84-B9FF-50A385F28213/">online through Amazon</a> and we’re in about 4,000 retail stores across the country.“Product innovation also played a key role in that evolution, with Wild Bill’s introducing a zero-sugar line featuring root beer, key lime, pineapple and blueberry flavors. The lineup is intended to address changing consumer trends without sacrificing authenticity.<h2>Investing in Infrastructure</h2>Behind the scenes, Wild Bill’s invested significantly in marketing, training and infrastructure, consolidating both its headquarters and warehouse at a larger facility in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The marketing efforts resulted in a substantial growth of presence on social media.“We invested heavily in marketing this year,” Russo said. “Our Instagram following grew from under 20,000 to over 35,000.”<h2>A Disciplined Roadmap in 2026</h2>Wild Bill’s is eyeing an exciting 2026, one focused on disciplined franchise expansion by carefully vetting potential franchise owners to ensure proper alignment. With plans to add another 10 franchise locations, Wild Bill’s will support potential franchise owners through the rollout of new equipment, new product offerings, updated marketing materials, and enhanced backend support, including IT and accounting services, prioritizing markets like San Jose, Portland, Denver, Louisville, West Virginia and the Carolinas.“Starting a business is hard,” Quilty said. “We’re building infrastructure to provide strong support, especially on the financial side. We’re focused on finding the right people in the right markets at the right time, not just signing a lot of franchisees.”That growth philosophy reflects Wild Bill’s broader mission to create opportunity through service, camaraderie and shared values, especially within the veteran community. As the brand moves with momentum into 2026, Wild Bill’s stands at the intersection of tradition and transformation as a heritage-driven Americana brand building a modern franchise system rooted in purpose, discipline, nostalgia and long-term vision.“Our four core values are commitment, integrity, growth and service,” Russo said. “We’re committed to our franchisees, focused on their growth as business owners and individuals and dedicated to serving our communities.”To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills">https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills</a>.About Wild Bill's Craft Beverage Co.Wild Bill's has been crafting premium, non-alcoholic craft sodas for over 20 years, serving customers at events nationwide. With a focus on creating nostalgia-evoking flavors, Wild Bill's sodas are available online, at local retailers, and at hundreds of events annually.As a veteran-owned and operated business, Wild Bill's is dedicated to supporting veterans through meaningful employment opportunities and partnerships with veteran-focused non-profits.

Wild Bill's Soda, Wild Bill's Craft Beverages

Wild Bill’s Caps a Transformational 2025 With Market Expansion, Product Innovation and Franchise Momentum

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Fueled by Freedom: How This Veteran Franchisee Is Expanding Wild Bill’s Across New England

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