Portland Headlight, Maine – Cousins Maine Lobster, renowned for its lobster rolls and operating as a fast-food restaurant and food truck chain, is set to venture into the Chicago market shortly.
The brand plans to launch two physical restaurant outlets and five food trucks in the Chicago area. The inaugural food truck is slated to start operations early this year, as per a recent press statement. This first truck will feature popular items like genuine Maine Lobster Rolls, Lobster Grilled Cheese, Lobster Tacos, and New England Clam Chowder.
The fixed-location restaurants will offer a simple expanded menu, including Maine whole-belly fried clams and fish and chips.
From Shark Tank to millions in sales
Cousins Maine gained significant traction after featuring on ABC’s “Shark Tank” and forming a partnership with investor Barbara Corcoran. The business, which began with a single food truck in 2012, made its “Shark Tank” debut the same year, striking a deal with Corcoran for a 15% stake in exchange for $55,000.
Post their “Shark Tank” appearance, Cousins Maine experienced remarkable growth. By 2016, its sales had escalated to $20 million.
The expansion in the Chicago region will be spearheaded by franchisee brothers, Yunus and Thameem Shahul, who have previously introduced Cousins Maine to five different markets. While the exact dates and locations for the grand openings are yet to be disclosed, the company anticipates announcing them “soon.”
