Independent Operators

Cousins Maine Lobster lands 1st multi-unit deal

December 6, 2022

Cousins Maine Lobster, a food truck concept founded in 2014 by cousins Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac, is bringing six food trucks over the next 18 months to Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., thanks to a deal with existing franchisee Yunus Shahul. Cousins began franchising in 2014, and the deal marks its first multi-unit franchise sale, according to a company press release.

Yunus Shahul, who owns five trucks, joined the Cousins Maine Lobster family when he launched his first food truck nearly five years ago in Connecticut. Six months later, he added a second truck dedicated to New York City. For expansion into the DMV market, Shahul will partner with his brother, Thameem Shahul. The brothers have worked together for the last four years as Yunus grew his operations in New York and southern New England.

"We have been very successful in New York," Yunus Shahul said in a company press release. "We saw the success of our peers in Philadelphia and New Jersey. We are confident we will find the same success in the DMV. We are committed to investing in this market with the goal of building the same strong customer base that we have in our established markets.

Cousins Maine Lobster operates 50 trucks in 20 markets.

"Our growth has been measured and strategic," Tselikis said in the release. "Not only has Yunus grown with Cousins Maine Lobster, but Cousins Maine Lobster has grown with Yunus. We truly believe that our strength is in our franchisees and we are thrilled to move into Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. with the Shahul brothers at the helm."