If you follow any foodies on social media, you’ve probably seen them post about Cousins Maine Lobster (shoutout @mkeeeeats, we <3 you). The notorious food truck has started serving East Coast comfort food – buttery lobster rolls, lobster grilled cheese, lobster chowder, and more – around Wisconsin.
And no, it’s not just swingin’ through our great state; the franchised food truck is dropping anchor permanently in Wisconsin. We know what you’re thinking. “A franchised food truck? Never heard of that before.” It’s a relatively new concept that has popped up in the last 10 years, which Cousins Maine Lobster has proved to be wildly successful.
Long Story Short
Cousins Maine Lobster was started in Los Angeles, California, in 2012 by Maine natives Sabin Lomac and Jim Tselikis. Sabin had moved out to California to pursue acting, but quickly became homesick and craved the food reminiscent of Maine.
His cousin, Jim, had gone out to visit him, and, following many nostalgic conversations about lobster-filled picnics, they realized there was a huge opportunity to bring the flavors of the East Coast to LA (so much for the big screen).
With the $20,000 they scraped together, Sabin and Jim bought a food truck and kickstarted their mobile Maine restaurant. On their first day in business, they had a 60-person line wrapped around the block. And, within only a few DAYS of their opening, Shark Tank offered them a chance to be featured on the show.
In the two short months from when they opened to when they pitched on Shark Tank, the duo netted $150,000 in sales. Not too bad for a food truck. They left the show with a $55,000 investment from Barbara Corcoran for a 15% equity stake.
Since then, their revenue has multiplied, and fast, with annual sales today sitting around $40 million.
So, what does this have to do with Wisconsin?
After almost 15 years, they have expanded to 50 food trucks, food halls, and brick-and-mortar locations (and launched an ecommerce storefront promising “shore to door’ in less than 24 hours”), with a goal to hit 100 franchise locations by the end of 2025.
Whether the Midwest was on Cousins Maine Lobster’s vision board or not, Chris Goeman and Kevin Smith, two Wisconsin entrepreneurs, saw the insane buzz around a Cousins Maine Lobster truck in Chicago and knew they had to bring the crustacean craze to Wisconsin.
So, that’s exactly what they did.
During their first week in business, they made stops at Sahale Ale Works (Grafton), Woodman’s (Kenosha and Oak Creek), Broken Bat Brewing (Milwaukee), and a few more outside of Milwaukee, attracting crowds from all over.
Now, there is talk that we may see trucks in Madison and Green Bay in the next couple of years.
So, does it live up to the hype?
If you’ve got an extra $25 burning a hole in your pocket and enjoy spending your disposable income on food (we’re guilty of this), then yes, it’s probably worth it to check out if you want a taste of tantalizingly fresh lobster in the Midwest.
For some, the cost is a little too steep, especially for those who claim the portion size doesn’t live up to the price. Regardless, we’re all for supporting local entrepreneurs and are excited to get our claws hands on a deliciously soft lobster roll.