Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 21 M AY 1 7 , 2 0 2 1 F O C U S S M A L L B U S I N E S S employees. While every business is different, they tend to have catchy names, a heavy social media presence and creative cuisine — a far cry from the old cattle-trail chuckwagons that by some accounts were the country's first food trucks. Today's boom looks here to stay even as traditional eateries open back up and remote working keeps people out of downtown offices. All across Maine, a host of new food businesses on wheels are sprouting up faster than you can say "food trucks" or "FoodTrux," the name of a Portland- based locator app founded in 2020 with big plans of its own as the indus- try grows and live events come back. CN Brown Company has a variety of rate plans that are suitable for the smallest businesses to the largest en es. Choose a plan based on your business's size and unique needs. cnbrownenergy.com/commercial-fuel/commercial-electricity Backed by superior service and reliability! > Electricity > Hea ng Oil > Kerosene > Propane > Natural Gas > Gasoline > Ultra-low Sulfur Diesel > Off-road Diesel Comprehensive energy op ons for your business Your new boat here. Whether you're new to boating or a seasoned hand, Hammond Lumber Company can match you with the ideal dock and lift systems for your waterfront. We have an extensive inventory of ShoreMaster® docks, a brand we recommend for ease of con- figuration, aesthetics, and durability. Take the plunge. We're here to help. Auburn • Bangor • Bar Harbor • Belfast • Belgrade • Blue Hill • Boothbay Harbor Brunswick • Bucksport • Calais • Camden • Cherryfield • Damariscotta • Ellsworth Fairfield • Farmington • Greenville • Machias • Portland • Rockland • Skowhegan HammondLumber.com C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F C O U S I N S M A I N E L O B S T E R Cousins Maine Lobster's 'hustle' and growth N ine years after launching Cousins Maine Lobster with a single food truck in Los Angeles, Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac have a growing nationwide operation with 40 trucks and 10 restaurants. The two cousins from southern Maine hatched their business idea over drinks in 2011 when reminiscing about their childhoods and had a frantic first day — 10 people working the truck without a cash register, and 75 customers waiting in line when the truck arrived 45 minutes late. A few months after launching, every- thing changed after the duo went on ABC's "Shark Tank" and won over real estate and marketing guru Barbara Corcoran, who invested in the business. It's been going strong ever since, with plans for five or six new trucks to hit the road this year and two more restaurants. Three or four will be in cities new to Cousins Maine Lobster, which sources its lobster from Maine, now ships seafood and entrees nationwide, and has a truck every year at Fort Williams Park in Tselikis's native Cape Elizabeth. "We're always excited to have that presence," he says a few weeks before the start of the 2021 season. Further down the road, he sees the possibility for a winter presence at ski resorts. Asked what he makes of a growing field of food-truck rivals in Maine and elsewhere, Tselikis says, "I think they add to any market we're in right now," and attributes his own company's winning recipe to four ingredients: "Preparation, hustle, humility and our story." Preparation, hustle, humility, and our story. — Jim Tselikis Cousins Maine Lobster Cousins Maine Lobster founders Sabin Lomac, left, and Jim Tselikis started with a single food truck in Los Angeles in April 2012. They now have 40 trucks and 10 restaurants in a growing number of states.

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