Cousins Maine Lobster’s journey began in 2012 when two cousins, Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac, decided to bring their family recipes of authentic Maine lobster rolls to the streets of Los Angeles.
Since then, the company has seen exponential growth and a successful appearance on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2013.
Cousins Maine Lobster is now available nationwide with over 15 locations around the country, as well as mobile food trucks and catering services.
In addition to providing customers with delicious seafood dishes, the team at Cousins Maine Lobster also strives for sustainability by sourcing all lobsters from local fishermen who practice responsible fishing methods.
Their commitment to sustainable practices has earned them recognition from renowned organizations such as The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program.
Company History
Cousin Maine Lobster is a seafood company that was founded in 2012 by cousins Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac. The two were inspired to start their own business after they had tasted the freshness of Maine lobster while on vacation there. Both wanted to share this experience with others, so they decided to bring the taste of Maine straight to people’s doorsteps around the country.
The Cousins pride themselves in using only 100% authentic Maine lobster, caught from local fishermen and cooked daily for customers. In addition, they have built their business around family values such as commitment and dedication as well as hard work ethic, which has enabled them to become an established brand throughout America.
In 2013, Cousin Maine Lobster made its first foray into mainstream media when it appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank show where investors backed the product – since then their appeal has grown even more due to mass media exposure.
Today, Cousin Maine Lobster is one of the leading suppliers of seafood nationwide and continues to grow as more customers are discovering their delicious products every day.
Shark Tank Experience
Cousins Maine Lobster has a storied history, but one of its most watched moments came in 2012 when the duo appeared on Shark Tank. Prior to their appearance on the show, co-founders Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac had been running Cousins Maine Lobster for only two years at that point. Despite their relative inexperience, they were able to come away with an investment from Barbara Corcoran.
Since then, Cousins Maine Lobster has become a household name, appearing regularly on QVC and having expanded beyond just lobster rolls into items like chowder and bisque. The company has also used its newfound fame to further build awareness around sustainability initiatives such as ocean conservation and eco-friendly packaging.
The success of Cousins Maine Lobster is largely due to its adept use of branding strategies and keen eye for consumer trends. From leveraging social media platforms to creating partnerships with celebrities, the company’s decision makers have managed to keep up with changing tastes while promoting key messages about sustainability – all without compromising their core product offerings.
• Branding Strategies: Leveraging Social Media Platforms; Creating Partnerships With Celebrities
• Consumer Trends: Keeping Up With Changing Tastes; Promoting Key Messages About Sustainability
• Core Product Offerings: Beyond Just Lobster Rolls Into Items Like Chowder And Bisque
• Awareness Around Sustainability Initiatives: Ocean Conservation; Eco-Friendly Packaging
• Household Name Status: Appearing Regularly On QVC
• Leveraging Social Media: To Reach A Broader Audience And Increase Brand Visibility
Expansion To Multiple Locations
How has Cousins Maine Lobster been able to take advantage of their newfound success since appearing on Shark Tank? Through careful preparation and leveraging business opportunities, the company has grown exponentially and achieved global reach.
After being featured on Shark Tank in 2012, Cousins Maine Lobster quickly became a household name. They were immediately met with an influx of customers who wanted to try their unique seafood dishes.
In response, the owners opened multiple locations across the United States, allowing them to meet demand for their products and services.
Cousins Maine Lobster also took advantage of partnerships with other businesses such as Uber Eats and Postmates so that they could easily expand into new markets. This allowed them to increase their customer base even further while still offering quality service from a trusted brand.
The company now ships its lobster all around the world and continues to explore new business opportunities through strategic partnerships and collaborations. As a result, Cousins Maine Lobster is well-positioned for future growth and expansion.
Mobile Food Trucks
In the wake of their successful expansion to multiple locations, Cousins Maine Lobster has taken a further step towards success by introducing mobile food trucks. This evolution in their business model was first seen at various food festivals and street markets throughout the United States.
The concept of bringing high quality seafood directly to customers with reasonable prices became an instant hit among consumers. The addition of these mobile food trucks not only gave Cousins Maine Lobster access to more potential customers, but also allowed them to reach areas where they previously had no presence.
With each truck being run as its own independent entity, this approach provided for better flexibility when adapting to different market dynamics such as seasonality and local trends. Furthermore, it created additional opportunities for growth within the company through increased sales volume from new locations and improved efficiency due to reduced overhead costs related to traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants.
This latest advancement in Cousins Maine Lobster’s business strategy continues the trend of innovation that began after their appearance on Shark Tank back in 2013. What started out as one small lobster shack located in Los Angeles quickly grew into a nationwide franchise offering up some of the freshest seafood around.
From humble beginnings has emerged a major player in the restaurant industry, all thanks to innovative thinking and constantly exploring new methods of delivering top quality products and services to customers everywhere.
Catering Services
Cousins Maine Lobster has seen success in providing quality seafood to customers since its inception, and this is evident from their increased presence on the popular business reality show, Shark Tank.
As part of their catering services, Cousins Maine Lobster places a strong emphasis on food safety and menu selection when it comes to serving events such as weddings or parties. The company offers several customizable packages that range from lobster rolls to surf & turf meals.
In order to maintain top-notch standards for freshness and flavor, all lobsters are sourced directly from local fisheries off the coast of Maine. This ensures that only premium grade seafood makes its way into each catering package they offer. Additionally, less common items like crab cakes or scallops can be requested according to customer preference if available.
The menu choices with Cousins Maine Lobster don’t stop there – salads and desserts made with locally sourced ingredients are also included in the options so that customers have an array of delicacies to choose from for their event.
From corporate gatherings to birthdays, Cousins Maine Lobster provides an extensive variety of dishes sure to satisfy any palate.
Sustainable Practices
Catering services can provide an array of meals and snacks for a variety of occasions, from corporate events to family gatherings. While catering offers convenience and quality, many potential customers are increasingly looking beyond the food itself to consider how companies source their ingredients and package their products.
Cousins Maine Lobster has responded to this challenge with its commitment to sustainable practices. The company uses eco-friendly packaging whenever possible and sources seafood sustainably through partnerships with fishermen who practice responsible harvesting methods. In addition, all orders include compostable utensils made from renewable resources, further reducing the environmental impact of any event.
To ensure that each customer receives only the highest quality product, Cousins Maine Lobster also employs strict traceability protocols throughout its supply chain. All shipments come with tracking numbers so customers can follow every step in the journey from sea to plate. This attention to detail ensures that Cousins Maine Lobster follows through on its promise to deliver fresh lobster harvested responsibly and delivered safely straight to your door.
From minimizing waste generated by packaging materials to guaranteeing freshness with careful monitoring of the supply chain process—Cousins Maine Lobster is committed to providing delicious seafood without compromising sustainability standards or endangering marine life. With these initiatives, they continue setting themselves apart as a leader in sustainable catering solutions while delivering top-notch service that makes them one of Shark Tank’s most successful businesses.
Sourcing From Local Fishermen
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Cousins Maine Lobster, a seafood restaurant chain, has been sourcing lobsters from local fishermen since 2012.
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This practice of sourcing from local fishermen helps to support the local community and economy.
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Additionally, it helps to foster relationships between the seafood restaurant chain and local fishermen.
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Cousins Maine Lobster has been featured on the show Shark Tank, and their success has provided an example of the benefits of sourcing locally.
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By sourcing locally, the restaurant chain has shown a commitment to supporting their local community and fishermen.
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Through their investments in local fishermen, Cousins Maine Lobster has demonstrated the power of community investment.
Sourcing Lobsters
In order to sustain the demand of lobster, Cousins Maine Lobster has taken a multifaceted approach towards sourcing lobsters.
The company sources their lobsters from both local fishermen as well as aquaculture farms which are managed through sustainable practices and responsible fishing operations.
This ensures that their product is always fresh, high-quality and minimizes stress on the wild population of lobsters.
By utilizing fish farming methods like traps and pots for harvesting, Cousins Maine Lobster can ensure that they have an ongoing supply of healthy seafood and use these techniques in combination with traditional fishing practices to harvest large amounts of lobster from different areas around the United States.
Additionally, by encouraging fishers to move away from single gear type fisheries (e.g., trawling) to more selective approaches such as potting or handline fishing, Cousins Maine Lobster is able to reduce damage done to other species while still obtaining a plentiful catch.
In this way, they can guarantee not only traceability but sustainability too – making sure that their customers get only the best quality seafood products.
Supporting Local Fishermen
Cousins Maine Lobster is committed to supporting local fishermen by offering them a steady and sustainable source of income. This commitment begins with their sourcing practices which prioritize locally caught lobster when available. The company works closely with small-scale, independent fisheries in order to ensure that they are harvesting seafood responsibly and sustainably while minimizing damage done to the environment or other species.
Additionally, Cousins Maine Lobster pays above market price for lobsters sourced from local fishing communities in an effort to strengthen these communities economically. The company also engages in community outreach efforts, such as donating funds for education programs and providing educational seminars on responsible harvesting practices for fisherman who wish to learn more about it. These initiatives help promote long term sustainability within the industry while fostering lasting relationships between Cousins Maine Lobster and the surrounding fishing communities where they get most of their seafood products.
To further support local fishermen, Cousins Maine Lobster has partnered with organizations like SeaShare which connects commercial fishers directly with consumers through online channels so they can receive fair value for their catch without having to go through multiple middlemen. Through this partnership, Cousins Maine Lobster is able to provide a high quality product sourced from sustainable fisheries at competitive prices while simultaneously supporting local fishing economies around the United States.
Community Investment
Cousins Maine Lobster has invested in numerous strategies to further strengthen their relationships with local fishing communities.
Not only do they pay above market price for seafood sourced from these fisheries, but the company also engages in community outreach initiatives such as donating funds for educational programs and providing seminars on responsible harvesting practices.
In addition to this, Cousins Maine Lobster has partnered with organizations like SeaShare which connects commercial fishers directly with consumers so that they can receive a fair value for their catch without having to go through multiple middlemen.
This partnership allows the company to offer high-quality products at competitive prices while simultaneously supporting local fishing economies around the United States.
Through both financial and nonfinancial investments, Cousins Maine Lobster is committed to fostering lasting relationships with local fishermen while promoting long term sustainability within the industry.
Recognition From Seafood Watch Program
Cousins Maine Lobster has become a leader in ethical fishing practices and sustainable seafood since their appearance on Shark Tank. After the show, Cousins Maine Lobster began to partner with Seafood Watch, an organization that helps make sure that seafood markets are using responsible sourcing of their products.
This partnership helped them further their commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. The recognition from Seafood Watch allowed them to be more transparent about where they get their product and how it is harvested. Consumers now have confidence in knowing that when buying from Cousins Maine Lobster, the seafood was ethically sourced and responsibly fished.
It also allows them to trace the product back to its origin so customers can feel confident in the quality of what they receive. Recognition from Seafood Watch solidified Cousins Maine Lobsters’ dedication to being an ethical provider of fresh lobster while ensuring protection for our oceans and marine life.
The company’s commitment to producing high-quality seafood and staying true to their core mission made them into one of America’s most popular food trucks as well as a leading supplier of sustainable seafood across the country.
Social Media Presence
Cousins Maine Lobster’s online presence has grown exponentially since their successful appearance on Shark Tank in 2012. Immediately following the show, Cousins Maine increased its marketing budget to include social media ads and campaigns. The company also leveraged customer outreach for targeted advertising, building relationships with customers by responding promptly to inquiries and feedback.
Today, Cousins Maine is active across all major social platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube as well as having a dedicated website that serves as an informational hub for visitors. Their online presence consists of creative content such as recipes and behind-the-scenes looks at the business model which helps engage followers and build brand loyalty.
Additionally, they leverage paid advertisements through Google Ads and other networks along with influencer partnerships which have been effective in driving sales.
Overall, Cousins Maine Lobster has developed a strong digital footprint that allows them to reach more potential customers than ever before while staying connected with existing ones. This strategy has not only helped boost their sales but also allowed for greater customer engagement and satisfaction which strengthens their brand reputation among consumers.
Recent News And Updates
In late 2017, Cousins Maine Lobster (CML) made an appearance on the popular show Shark Tank.
CML’s co-founders Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac proposed a deal that allowed them to keep their business up and running.
After securing $55,000 in funding from Barbara Corcoran, they were able to expand both brick & mortar locations as well as food truck fleets nationwide.
Since then, CML has become a notable figure within the seafood industry due to its efforts in raising awareness for sustainable lobster farming practices and staying ahead of current seafood trends.
The company offers various menu items such as lobster mac n cheese, lobster tacos, and even lobster grilled cheese sandwiches.
In addition, customers are given the option to purchase live lobsters directly from their online store or local markets throughout New England.
Today, CML continues to strive towards excellence by providing fresh and delicious seafood dishes while working with independent fishermen all over the country who share in their commitment to sustainability.
They have also created partnerships with numerous organizations such as Surfrider Foundation and Ocean Conservancy which help support ocean conservation initiatives around the globe.
Conclusion
Cousins Maine Lobster has made a huge splash since first appearing on Shark Tank in 2012.
From humble beginnings selling lobster rolls out of a single food truck, the company now operates multiple brick and mortar locations across the country, supplemented by an ever-expanding fleet of mobile trucks.
They have also become one of the few seafood companies to be recognized by Seafood Watch for their commitment to sustainable sourcing practices from local fishermen.
As if that wasn’t enough, Cousins Maine Lobster’s growth is indicative of its social media presence as well; thanks to customer engagement and content creation, they’ve managed to keep up with changing trends while staying true to their mission.
By focusing on quality ingredients and service excellence, this small business is living proof that good things come in small packages – or should we say shells?