Established
2017
Franchise Units
15
Minimum Investment
$250,000
Franchise Fee
$35,000
Total Investment Range
$450,000
Home Based
No
Description
Topsail Steamer has reimagined how Americans enjoy fresh coastal seafood. Instead of the traditional dine-in seafood restaurant model, this brand focuses on ready-to-steam seafood buckets—prepped, seasoned, and packaged so customers can create a restaurant-quality seafood boil at home in minutes. It’s simple, memorable, and incredibly scalable.
Positioned as a coastal lifestyle brand rather than just a seafood shop, Topsail Steamer blends convenience, premium ingredients, and vacation-inspired branding. Customers walk in, select their bucket—loaded with shrimp, crab legs, lobster tails, corn, potatoes, sausage, and house seasoning—then take it home to steam and serve. The result is an experiential meal that feels special without the overhead of a full restaurant.
In today’s market, where consumers crave convenience and unique food experiences, Topsail Steamer stands out. It’s a niche concept in the booming seafood and specialty food retail category, offering franchisees a differentiated model with lower operational complexity than full-service dining.
Why Invest in This Franchise?
1. Unique, Proven Concept
Topsail Steamer operates in a category of its own. The take-home seafood boil model reduces labor, eliminates the need for large dining rooms, and simplifies kitchen operations.
2. Lower Overhead Than Traditional Restaurants
Without full-scale cooking lines, servers, or large seating areas, franchisees benefit from reduced build-out and staffing costs compared to conventional seafood restaurants.
3. High Demand for Premium Seafood Experiences
Consumers increasingly seek premium food experiences at home. Seafood boils are popular for gatherings, holidays, beach vacations, and celebrations.
4. Strong Brand Identity
With coastal roots and vacation-driven branding, the concept resonates strongly in tourist markets, beach towns, and affluent suburban communities.
5. Scalable & Multi-Unit Potential
The compact retail footprint allows for strategic expansion into multiple territories, particularly in coastal states and high-traffic lifestyle centers.
Background
Established Year: 2017
Topsail Steamer was founded in North Carolina, inspired by coastal traditions and family seafood gatherings. The brand was built around the idea that great seafood doesn’t need to be complicated—it just needs to be fresh, well-seasoned, and easy to prepare.
Founders & Brand Journey
The founders identified a gap in the market: customers loved seafood boils but didn’t always want to dine out or handle complicated preparation. By offering pre-assembled, ready-to-cook seafood buckets, they created a turnkey solution.
From its first location in a beach market, the brand quickly gained traction with both tourists and locals. Expansion followed into other coastal markets across the Southeastern United States, establishing Topsail Steamer as a recognized name in the specialty seafood retail space.
Franchise Active Units: 15+ locations across the USA, primarily concentrated in coastal regions and vacation destinations.
Industry Category:
Specialty Seafood Retail | Quick-Service Food Retail | Take-Home Meal Solutions
Market Presence in the USA:
The brand has expanded along the East Coast and into additional lifestyle markets, with strong potential in Florida, the Carolinas, Texas coastal cities, and other high-tourism regions.
Support Training
Topsail Steamer provides a structured franchise development system designed to support both first-time business owners and experienced operators.
Pre-Launch Support
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Site selection assistance and territory evaluation
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Lease negotiation guidance
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Store layout design and equipment planning
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Vendor and supply chain coordination
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Construction and build-out support
Initial Training Program
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In-depth operational training at headquarters or designated training locations
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Seafood handling and quality control protocols
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Inventory management systems
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POS and sales tracking training
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Food safety compliance
Marketing Support
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Grand opening campaign strategy
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Digital marketing guidance (social media, local SEO, email marketing)
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Brand assets and promotional materials
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Seasonal promotional planning
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Ongoing brand campaigns
Operational & Ongoing Support
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Field support visits
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Performance benchmarking
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Supply chain coordination
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Menu updates and new product rollouts
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Continuous training modules
Franchisees are not left to figure things out alone. The brand’s leadership team works closely with operators to ensure smooth launches and steady growth.
Ideal Candidate
Topsail Steamer is best suited for:
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Entrepreneurs seeking a food business with simpler operations than full-service restaurants
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Investors looking for a coastal or tourist-driven concept
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Individuals passionate about hospitality and quality food experiences
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Multi-unit operators interested in expanding into niche QSR or specialty retail
Business Background:
Prior restaurant or retail experience is helpful but not mandatory. Strong leadership, operational discipline, and customer service focus are key.
Investment Capability:
Candidates should have sufficient liquidity and access to capital to fund build-out, equipment, staffing, and working capital.
Location Preference:
Ideal markets include:
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Coastal towns
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Tourist destinations
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High-income suburban neighborhoods
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Lifestyle retail centers
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Vacation hubs
Financial Detail
Note: Figures are approximate and subject to change based on location and market conditions.
Total Investment Required: $250,000 – $450,000
Minimum Investment (Entry Level): Approximately $250,000
Franchise Fee: $35,000 – $45,000
Infrastructure & Build-Out Costs: $100,000 – $200,000
Equipment & Fixtures: $50,000 – $90,000
Initial Inventory: $15,000 – $25,000
Marketing Budget (Launch): $10,000 – $20,000
Working Capital (3–6 months): $40,000 – $75,000
Royalty Fee: Typically 6% of gross sales
Marketing Fund Contribution: 1%–2%
