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‘Shark Tank’ sensation Cousins Maine Lobster rolls into Albuquerque during statewide food truck tour
The seafood chain will be in the Duke City on Thursday and Friday
A popular food truck franchise known for its Maine lobster rolls and success following an appearance on ABC’s “Shark Tank” is cruising across New Mexico, and Albuquerque is up next to get a taste.
Cousins Maine Lobster, a California-based seafood chain with franchises across the country, is rolling into Albuquerque on Thursday and Friday as a part of its ongoing food truck tour in the state.
While headquartered in California, the company is known for sourcing its lobsters directly from Maine. Through a fast-casual franchise model, the company sells its lobster dishes in more than 80 food trucks over 30 states.
Real-life cousins Sabin Lomac and Jim Tselikis co-founded the venture with one truck in Los Angeles in 2012 — the same year that they pitched their business on season four of “Shark Tank.”
The cousins scored a deal with famous investor Barbara Corcoran, securing an on-camera investment of $55,000 in exchange for a 15% equity stake in the company. Today, Cousins Maine Lobster is among one of the most successful companies to appear on the television show, more than $1 billion in sales as of June 2025.
The company launched its food truck road trip tours as a part of a national expansion strategy aiming to introduce Cousins Maine to new markets, build connections and evaluate growth opportunities, a news release said.
“We’ve seen incredible enthusiasm in new markets across the country, and we’re excited to bring that same energy to New Mexico while meeting new customers and exploring future opportunities in the region,” said Lindsay Herberger, director of franchise development, in a statement.
The company began its trek across the Land of Enchantment last week, starting in Clovis on May 5. The food truck, owned by a franchisee from Dallas, has since made its way through Roswell, Hobbs, Carlsbad, Las Cruces, Alamogordo, Los Lunas and Los Alamos.
Brew Lab 101’s Albuquerque location, at 3107 Eubank NE, will welcome the food truck on Thursday. Gravity Bound Brewing Co., at 816 Third NW, will host the truck on Friday. The truck will be open from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. both days, serving Cousins Maine’s popular lobster rolls, along with its lobster tacos, lobster grilled cheese and New England clam chowder.
It will be Cousins Maine’s third time at Brew Lab 101, said owner Scott Salvas. The chain reached out to Salvas out of the blue a couple of years ago and has been making the occasional pit stop ever since.
“It’s super exciting,” said Salvas, a self-described “big lobster fan” who is originally from the New England area.
The seafood chain will also make a stop at Brew Lab 101’s Rio Rancho location at 3301 Southern SE on Saturday before making its final stop at Nuckolls Brewing Co. in Santa Fe on Sunday.
Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.