Lobster food truck launched on ‘Shark Tank’ anchors in Kalamazoo

KALAMAZOO, MI — Lobster lovers in Kalamazoo don’t have to go to Maine to get a taste of Maine lobster.

People across the country are lining up for lobster from a famous new food truck, called Cousins Maine Lobster. And now the Kalamazoo area is getting one of its own.

Cousins bills itself as nationally known, but locally owned.

The brand took off after a 2012 appearance on “Shark Tank,” where the company’s founders reeled in a $55,000 investment from Barbara Corcoran.

Its locations, including food trucks and restaurants, feature wild-caught Maine lobster sourced from small communities along the coast of Maine, the company said.

The Kalamazoo food truck is setting up shop in the Kalamazoo area for the first time this week.

The mobile eatery will offer Maine lobster rolls ($24), lobster tacos (three for $22), savory lobster grilled cheese ($18), lobster quesadillas ($20), lobster bisque ($7 to $9), pink lemonade whoopie pies ($4) and more.

Here’s a look at the first few dates in the truck’s schedule:

• A soft opening from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, June 27 at Wax Wings Brewing Co.
• A grand opening celebration from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 28 at St. Julian Winery in Paw Paw
• The food truck will park at Brewery Outre from 1 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 29
• Click here for a full schedule

The company’s Michigan franchisee currently operates three food trucks across Michigan.

Two trucks serve Detroit and surrounding area, and a third truck was launched in Grand Rapids in April — the brand’s 85th location.

The Kalamazoo truck debut marks the fourth Cousins Main Lobster food truck and the third market for operators Hussein (Hank) Kdouh, Muhammed (Moe) Zahr and Rabih Zahr.

“After a strong debut in West Michigan with our new Grand Rapids truck, we can’t wait to bring Cousins Maine Lobster to the Kalamazoo community,” Kdouh said. “It’s been an honor to build CML’s presence throughout Michigan and bring a taste of Maine to the Midwest.

“We look forward to opening our second West Michigan truck so more people in the region can enjoy our premium lobster offering this summer and beyond,” he said.

The Michigan franchisees are longtime childhood friends and now business partners who saw the opportunity to bring high-quality seafood to their home state.

They launched their first truck in Detroit in summer 2022. Three months later, they launched their second truck due to the high demand.

Their growth is fueled by exceptional customer service, strong fan following and smart expansion strategies, the group said.

“Hank, Moe and Rabih are outstanding franchisees who have shown exceptional leadership and dedication since joining Cousins Maine Lobster three years ago,” said Lindsay Herberger, director of franchise development at Cousins Maine Lobster. “We’re confident their newest truck in Kalamazoo will have the same energy and success they’ve seen in Detroit.”

Founded in 2012 by cousins Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac, Cousins Maine Lobster started as a passion project and quickly gained national recognition after the successful showing on Shark Tank.

Since then, Cousins Maine Lobster has become a leading seafood franchise, the company said.

Some may recognize the brand from earlier stops in Kalamazoo, when another nearby location’s food truck was brought in.

T.J. Waldofsky of Wax Wings Brewing Co. said there’s excitement in the air as Cousins comes to town. Wax Wings has had the truck there before and the staff is excited to host its soft opening, he said.

“We think such high quality food pairs well with our craft beer options,” Waldofsky said.

He suggested their flagship hazy IPA, Pulled Into Nazareth, or other hazy IPAs, to pair with the Atlantic offerings.

The style of beer is also called New England IPA, because of its link to the region.

Beginning Friday, people can try pairings for themselves, as the truck will roll to different locations in Southwest Michigan.

“Welcome to Kalamazoo, Cousins Maine Lobster!” Waldofsky said.

Customers can check out the truck schedule on the Cousins Maine Lobster website or the truck’s Facebook page at Cousins Maine Lobster Kalamazoo.

The company was recently featured in a video among top successful products that landed a Shark investment:

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