Update on Cousins Maine Lobster from Shark Tank

Sabin and Jim from Cousins Maine Lobster | Instagram/jimtselikis

We all remember cousins Sabin Lomac and Jim Tselikis who entered Shark Tank in 2012. They started out with one food truck, selling authentic lobster in Los Angeles. The cousins landed a deal with Barbara Corcoran for a $55,000 investment in their business. Where are they today and how many food trucks do they have now?

Who Are the Founders?

Sabin Lomac and Jim Tselikis are cousins from Portland, Maine. As they grew up, they both moved away from Maine. Jim took off to Boston to go to The College of the Holy Cross. However, he thought he was on the right track when he landed a position at Stryker Orthopedics. Sabin also stayed on the east coast, but moved down to New York City to pursue drama and found himself in the real estate industry in Los Angeles.

The idea for Cousins Maine Lobster was developed when the two started reminiscing on the great lobster they’d have on the east coast growing up. When the food truck industry started booming on the west coast, the idea came to them to combine Maine Lobster in the Los Angeles area. That’s exactly what they did.

How Many Food Trucks Do They Have Now?

As you know, Cousins Maine Lobster began with one food truck in LA in 2012. By 2014, they had four food trucks in southern California. In 2015, the company opened its first brick and mortar store in West Hollywood, California offering menu items not found at their food trucks. By 2017, they had expanded to 26 food trucks in 13 states across the US.

As of 2021, according to Jim, Cousins Maine Lobster has grown to over 50 units which include food trucks and fast-casual restaurants.

Is Barbara Corcoran Still Working With Cousins Maine Lobster?

Yes, Barbara is still working with Cousins Maine Lobster in 2021. One founder, Jim Tselikis’s LinkedIn profile, he displays a featured image of the two cousins giving Barbara a kiss on the cheek. They have a lot to thank her for! See it for yourself here.

Another hint is that Barbara Corcoran made an appearance on owner Jim’s Instagram page in April 2021 promoting Food Truck Rehab. “TOMORROW!! Set your DVR!!! Food Truck Rehab, on @foodnetwork . @barbaracorcoran with her thoughts!!”

Jim and Sabin Landed a Show on the Food Network

The cousins pitched a show idea to the producers at The Food Network. Their dream came true. “Food Truck Rehab” premiered on the Food Network on April 11, 2021. The show sees Jim and Sabin “rehabbing struggling food truck businesses from the wheels up, from truck to menu to social media,” according to the Boston Globe.

The very first episode which premiered on Sunday followed a father-in-law/son-in-law duo who are struggling with their wood fired pizza truck in LA, Pacific Pizza Co.

The cousins commented, “We can go in and identify [the problem]: is it the truck and equipment? The recipe? A family dynamic of people stepping on each other’s toes?”

Catch Food Truck Rehab on the Food Network Sundays.