A craft soda company has relocated to the Lehigh Valley, ready to hire local veterans and make the most of local warehouses.
Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage Co. recently relocated its headquarters from Morris County, New Jersey, to 904 Macron Blvd., Suite 102, in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, CEO and co-founder Michael Quilty said.
The company offers soda varieties such as root beer, black cherry, orange cream, “Rocket Pop,” mojito, pumpkin spice and zero sugar as well as accessories such as mugs, straws and lids, as listed on its website. It sells online as well as across thousands of retailers and at events like New York Comic Con and Easton Garlic Fest.
“That canned soda business really only happened because of COVID,” Quilty said. “Because our primary model is we sell mugs with unlimited soda at events with commemorative and collectible mugs, usually with the logo of the event on it. And then when the events went away during COVID, our customers — and we have like a million people who bought our mugs — [reached] out, saying ‘Where do I get the soda?’ And so we only canned it … If COVID hadn’t happened, we never would have put it in a can.”
Wild Bill’s was founded in 2002. Quilty, a Navy veteran, became a franchisee in 2017 in Texas, and then purchased the company with business partners in 2018.
Quilty said he was inspired to start a business and hire veterans during a reunion of Marines who had served together in Afghanistan.
“Here were these amazing people who made this huge sacrifice, came back and had like no jobs or bad jobs,” he said. “What they were doing in life did not match the ribbons on their chest and the experience they had been through. And at that reunion, I decided I was going to either start a company or buy a company to employ the actual people I met, [that] I was with.”
Quilty hired four Marines from that reunion for his company that eventually became the Wild Bill’s franchise. The effort to hire veterans eventually expanded to include a veteran franchise program that provides discounts on initial fees. Hiring veterans in the Lehigh Valley is now the goal as well.
When looking to relocate the headquarters from New Jersey, Quilty said commercial real estate brokers “resoundingly” recommended the Lehigh Valley. He highlighted perks such as the new or refurbished warehouses in the region, lower operating costs and a great talent pool to hire from.
“We love it, and my only regret is we didn’t do it sooner,” he said.
Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage CEO Michael Quilty, left, and Chris Norvold, vice president of operations, stand Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in front of a Wild Bill’s truck parked near the company’s new headquarters in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. Wild Bill’s recently relocated its headquarters from New Jersey. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Jazmyn Rayne taps a root beer craft soda, into a commemorative mug Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage’s new headquarters in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. The company recently relocated from New Jersey. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Commemorative mugs line the shelves Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage’s new headquarters in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. The company recently relocated from New Jersey. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Variety packs of craft soda are stacked Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage’s new headquarters in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. The company recently relocated from New Jersey. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage CEO Michael Quilty, left, and Chris Norvold, vice president of operations, stand Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in front of a Wild Bill’s truck parked near the company’s new headquarters in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. Wild Bill’s recently relocated its headquarters from New Jersey. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Commemorative mugs line the shelves Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage’s new headquarters in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. The company recently relocated from New Jersey. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage CEO Michael Quilty, left, and Chris Norvold, vice president of operations, stand Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in front of a Wild Bill’s truck parked near the company’s new headquarters in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. Wild Bill’s recently relocated its headquarters from New Jersey. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Boxes of craft soda are stacked Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage’s new headquarters in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. The company recently relocated from New Jersey. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Boxes of craft soda are stacked Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage’s new headquarters in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. The company recently relocated from New Jersey. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Jazmyn Rayne taps a vanilla cream craft soda, into a commemorative mug Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage’s new headquarters in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. The company recently relocated from New Jersey. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage CEO Michael Quilty, left, and Chris Norvold, vice president of operations, stand Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in front of a Wild Bill’s truck parked near the company’s new headquarters in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. Wild Bill’s recently relocated its headquarters from New Jersey. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
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Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage CEO Michael Quilty, left, and Chris Norvold, vice president of operations, stand Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in front of a Wild Bill’s truck parked near the company’s new headquarters in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. Wild Bill’s recently relocated its headquarters from New Jersey. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
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Lehigh Valley retail and restaurant news in brief
Bistro 1015: The restaurant will hold a grand opening April 25-26 at the Quakertown Farmers Market at 201 Station Road in Richland Township, Bucks County, serving dishes like patty melts and garlic bread grilled cheeses.
Kabinett Wine Bar and Tucker Garage + Grocery: They will hold their final days Sunday, April 19, in the 120 block of Northampton Street in Easton. Kabinett will hold its final, fully booked wine dinner on Wednesday.
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant: Unlike other select locations, the restaurant is not reopening at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township, company officials and mall management confirmed.
Nesting Box: The ice cream shop announced it opened April 11 at 6299 Route 309 in Heidelberg Township, with a grand opening on May 23.
Twin Rivers Tubing: The tubing business went up for sale in Easton.
Pro Image Sports: The store held a grand opening April 11 at the Palmer Park Mall in Palmer Township, the mall announced.
Bulldog Laundry: The laundromat announced it would open soon at 592 Main St. in Slatington.
In other news
The Easton Public Market: The market kicked off festivities Friday for its 10th anniversary at 325 Northampton St. in Easton.
Retail Watch is a weekly column covering retail and restaurant news in the Lehigh Valley. Have a question, tip, or want to see something in the area? Contact retail reporter Graysen Golter at retailwatch@mcall.com.