Cousins Maine Lobster, the fast-casual seafood brand made famous by Shark Tank, is setting its sights on St. Louis as it continues a major national expansion. The company, which specializes in wild-caught Maine lobster rolls served from food trucks, has identified the region as a priority market as it ramps up franchise development across the country.
The truck will be at the International Tap House at 6217 Delmar Blvd. on June 25 and at 2nd Shift Brewing at 1601 Sublette Ave. on June 28. The St. Louis launch is part of a broader strategy by Cousins Maine Lobster to grow its flexible, lower-overhead food truck model in cities nationwide. With 85 units already operating in more than 35 states, the brand plans to open 30 new locations in 2025 and hit 100 units by year’s end.
Founded in 2012 by cousins Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac, the brand skyrocketed to national fame after a successful appearance on Shark Tank, where they landed a deal with investor Barbara Corcoran. Since then, Cousins Maine Lobster has scaled its operations through franchising, offering entrepreneurs a chance to bring high-quality seafood to communities without the constraints of traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants.
“As we look to expand into St. Louis, we are driven by our commitment to bring our unique product and dining experience to more seafood lovers around the world,” said Lindsay Herberger, Director of Franchise Development. “We are offering entrepreneurs the opportunity to become part of a family-owned business with strong unit economics, efficient operations, and desirable products.”
The company’s franchise model relies on what it calls a “surprise and delight” approach: launching food trucks across multiple cities and counties in a given region, rather than anchoring to a single storefront. This allows for faster scalability and greater consumer reach, while keeping start-up and operational costs lower.
Currently one of the fastest-growing seafood concepts in the country, Cousins Maine Lobster has already inked more than 30 new development agreements. The average franchisee owns six units and reports a food truck AUV (average unit volume) of $1.3 million, according to the company. Many owners expand further through multi-year growth plans.
With recent expansions into Kansas City and Louisville, Cousins Maine Lobster is now recruiting franchisees in other underserved markets such as Seattle, Boise, Indianapolis, Des Moines, Little Rock, and Charleston, South Carolina.
Entrepreneurs interested in bringing Cousins Maine Lobster to St. Louis or other regions can learn more at www.cousinsmainelobster.com/franchise.
Check out the slideshow below to see the food truck and some of the offerings.
