Sartaj Singh
Topsail Steamer founder Danielle Mahon appeared on season 16, episode 2 of ABC’s ‘Shark Tank,’ tempting the panel of investors with a fresh entrée of seafood and a slice of her rapidly expanding restaurant business. The self-proclaimed late-in-life entrepreneur offers her customers a veritable feast of coastal cuisine for them to steam and serve in the comfort of their own homes, perfect for special occasions and family gatherings.
Topsail Steamer: Who Are They and What Do They Do?
The idea for Topsail Steamer seemed to come to Danielle Mahon at the perfect time in her life. By 2017, she had gained considerable experience, having worked for over 12 years in corporate and biotech sales, and she was a soon-to-be empty nester at the age of 53. It was at this opportune time that Mahon was struck with an idea after finding a significant market gap to fill within the local food industry. She was out on a girls’ trip with her mother and sisters to the Outer Banks, North Carolina, when she noticed a very busy takeout counter at a restaurant. The establishment sold fresh seafood steam pots that one could cook at home with a simple process. Intrigued by the untapped potential of such succulent ready-to-cook food, especially in the coastal regions, she thought of a business model beyond the traditional restaurant setup that would cater to the demand for easy-to-cook home-delivered seafood meals.
Hailing from southern New Jersey, Danielle Mahon opened the first outlet of Topsail Steamer on North Carolina’s Topsail Island in 2017. Customers pick a signature seafood pot or make their own, choosing from a range of seafood ingredients added onto a base of butter, sweet corn, red bliss potatoes, and cocktail sauce. Once prepared, customers take the seafood pot home, add water, simmer it for 40 minutes, and an oceanic feast is ready to be served. The variety of ingredients in the pot make for a complete meal that demands no additions or any trips to the grocery store.
As the debut outlet’s success pointed to a market gap, Mahon sought to implement a franchise model, recognizing that the business was easily scalable given the simple operations and low labor requirements. Her estimation was spot on, and the brand spread with nine brick-and-mortar franchise locations opening across North Carolina, New Jersey, Alabama, Delaware, and Florida. The second outlet was opened in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, in May 2018. Despite a steep learning curve and setbacks from Hurricane Florence, Mahon and her team continue to power onward with considerable growth.
Topsail Steamer: Where Are They Now
Headquartered in Surf City, North Carolina, Topsail Steamer boasts fresh, locally sourced seafood, veggies, meat, and homemade spices in each steam pot. They sell 12 signature seafood steam pots in addition to presenting customers with the option of making their own. Each pot adds different quantities of seafood, veggies, and meats on top of their ubiquitous base of the aforementioned ingredients. These range from the Low Country Shrimp Steamer Pot, available at $119.95, to the King Tider Seafood Meal Kit, priced at $249.95. In celebration of their appearance on ‘Shark Tank,’ the company launched the Shark Bite Steamer Pot at $199.95, replicating the pot served to the investors on the show. They also sell a branded pelican t-shirt for $35.95.
Most of the signature pots arrive with a Topsail Steamer steam bucket, a one-time-use utensil for steaming the food. They also supply brown paper to cover the surface of the table used for serving the steamed seafood, helping create a neat home experience. Customers can pick up orders from outlets or get deliveries locally. At the time of writing, there are three Topsail Steamer locations in North Carolina, four in New Jersey, and one each in Alabama, Delaware, and Florida. The latest Topsail Steamer outlet to open its doors is in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and began operations on October 4, 2024. It was preceded by franchise outlets opening in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 9, 2024, and in Wildwood, New Jersey, on June 6, 2024. The company is open to franchise offers, eagerly welcoming experienced partners who will uphold the quality of their cuisine.
For online orders, Topsail Steamer has partnered with Gold Belly, and orders can be shipped across the mainland United States and some locations in Canada, usually within the week. Danielle Mahon and her team’s dedication to creating an authentic seafood experience was recognized when Topsail Steamer was listed among Yelp’s 2024 Top 100 Seafood Spots in the country. If the trend over the past year is anything to go by, Topsail Steamer shows no signs of slowing down in its franchise expansion and is set to crack over ten franchise outlets by the end of 2024.
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