Industry · municipality
The Pharmacy Industry in Harstad: Current Status and Future Outlook
Analysis of companies, economic data, and development trends in the pharmacy sector in Harstad, Troms, and Finnmark, Norway.
Executive Summary
The pharmacy industry in Harstad is a stable and important part of the local business community. In 2025, there are 7 companies registered within the pharmacy sector in the municipality, with a total payroll cost of 46.1 million NOK and 90 employees. In recent years, the industry has shown variations in revenue and number of employees, but there is a clear stabilization after 2022. The most significant companies are Apotek 1 Kanebogen, Norsk Medisinaldepot, and Vitusapotek, which together account for a large share of market share and operating income. The industry has also shown positive development in revenue from 2024 to 2025, with an increase of 11.1%.
Economic Overview
Revenue and Employees (2016–2025):
| Year | Revenue (NOK) | Employees | Year-over-Year Change (Revenue) | Year-over-Year Change (Employees) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 211.9M | 116 | - | - |
| 2017 | 132.0M | 97 | -37.7% | -16.4% |
| 2018 | 215.1M | 86 | +63.0% | -11.3% |
| 2019 | 210.0M | 85 | -2.4% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 219.3M | 84 | +4.4% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 239.6M | 83 | +9.2% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 266.3M | 91 | +11.1% | +9.6% |
| 2023 | 248.5M | 94 | -6.7% | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 259.7M | 91 | +4.5% | -3.2% |
| 2025 | 288.4M | 90 | +11.1% | -1.1% |
Key Figures in 2025:
- Total revenue: 288.4 million NOK
- Total number of employees: 90
- Average revenue per employee: 3.2 million NOK
- EBITDA margin: 6 %
- Revenue increase from 2024 to 2025: +11.1 %
Conclusion: The industry showed a strong decline in 2017, but has since stabilized with an increase in revenue from 2022 to 2025. The number of employees has varied, but has now reached a level of approximately 90 employees in 2025.
Companies in the Industry
In Harstad, there are 7 companies registered within the pharmacy sector. The most important companies are:
- Apotek 1 Kanebogen (Skilleveien 5) – AS, established 1986, 30 employees, revenue 77.3M NOK, EBITDA 5.7M NOK.
- Norsk Medisinaldepot Salgsregion Harstad (Østenbekkveien 24) – AS, established 1965, 21 employees, revenue 59.1M NOK, EBITDA 3.7M NOK.
- Apotek 1 Bysenteret (Rikard Kaarbøs plass 1) – AS, established 2012, 17 employees, revenue 38.7M NOK, EBITDA 2.8M NOK.
- Boots Apotek Sjøkanten (Verkstedveien 7) – AS, established 2005, 12 employees, revenue 30.0M NOK, EBITDA 541.8K NOK.
- Vitusapotek Kanebogen (Skilleveien 5) – AS, established 2015, 12 employees, revenue 35.5M NOK, EBITDA 2.2M NOK.
- Vitusapotek Harstad (Fjordgata 1) – AS, established 1965, 8 employees, revenue 23.6M NOK, EBITDA 1.5M NOK.
- Pharmanext As (Bårnakkveien 1A) – AS, established 2025, 0 employees, 0 revenue.
Organizational Forms:
- AS (Anonymous Companies): 6 companies, 100 employees, revenue 264.2M NOK, EBITDA 16.4M NOK.
- Pharmanext As is the only company without employees or revenue, and may be a new company that has not yet started operations.
Conclusion: Most companies are ASs, and the most significant companies have been in operation for several decades. Pharmanext As is a new company that may represent a potential development in the industry.
Business Geography
Activity distributed across districts in Harstad:
| District | Number of companies | Number of employees | Operating income (NOK) | Revenue (NOK) | Payroll cost (NOK) | Operating result (NOK) | EBITDA (NOK) | Gross margin (%) | Operating margin (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harstad | 6 | 100 | 266.9M | 264.2M | 46.1M | 12.1M | 16.4M | 9379 | 4 |
Conclusion: All companies in the industry are registered in Harstad, and they have a total operating income of 266.9 million NOK, with 100 employees. The industry has a high gross margin of 9379%, which indicates that they have high value in the products they sell. The operating margin is 4%, which shows that operating costs are relatively low compared to revenue.
Business Dynamics
Bankruptcies and operational status:
- No companies in the industry have gone bankrupt in Harstad.
- All companies are still in operation, even though some have had periods with lower revenue and number of employees.
Operational status as of 2025:
- Apotek 1 Kanebogen: 30 employees, revenue 77.3M NOK, EBITDA 5.7M NOK.
- Norsk Medisinaldepot Salgsregion Harstad: 21 employees, revenue 59.1M NOK, EBIT道 3.7M NOK.
- Apotek 1 Bysenteret: 17 employees, revenue 38.7M NOK, EBITDA 2.8M NOK.
- Boots Apotek Sjøkanten: 12 employees, revenue 30.0M NOK, EBITDA 541.8K NOK.
- Vitusapotek Kanebogen: 12 employees, revenue 35.5M NOK, EBITDA 2.2M NOK.
- Vitusapotek Harstad: 8 employees, revenue 23.6M NOK, EBITDA 1.5M NOK.
- Pharmanext As: 0 employees, 0 revenue.
Conclusion: The industry has shown a good operational status, with no bankruptcies and stable companies. Pharmanext As is the only company without employees or revenue, and may be a new company that has not yet started operations.
Outlook
Trend analysis and future outlook:
- Stable number of companies: There are 7 companies in the industry, and there are no bankruptcies, which indicates that the industry is stable.
- Increase in revenue: Revenue has increased from 2024 to 2025 by 11.1%, which shows that the industry has a positive development.
- Stable number of employees: The number of employees has varied, but has now reached a level of approximately 90 employees in 2025.
- High gross margin: The industry has a high gross margin of 9379%, which indicates that they have high value in the products they sell.
- Low operating margin: The operating margin is 4%, which shows that operating costs are relatively low compared to revenue.
Potential development opportunities for entrepreneurs:
- New companies: It is possible to start a new company within the pharmacy sector, such as Pharmanext As, which is a new company that has not yet started operations.
- Digitalization: It may be possible to digitalize operations and improve efficiency in the industry.
- Specialization: It may be possible to specialize in certain products or services, such as medicines or pharmacy services.
Conclusion: The industry has shown positive development in revenue and number of employees, and it is possible to start a new company within the pharmacy sector. It is also possible to digitalize operations and specialize in certain products or services.
Conclusion
The pharmacy industry in Harstad is a stable and important part of the local business community. In 2025, there are 7 companies registered within the pharmacy sector in the municipality, with a total payroll cost of 46.1 million NOK and 90 employees. In recent years, the industry has shown variations in revenue and number of employees, but there is a clear stabilization after 2022. The most significant companies are Apotek 1 Kanebogen, Norsk Medisinaldepot, and Vitusapotek, which together account for a large share of market share and operating income. The industry has also shown positive development in revenue from 2024 to 2025, with an increase of 11.1%.
For entrepreneurs: It is possible to start a new company within the pharmacy sector, such as Pharmanext As, which is a new company that has not yet started operations. It is also possible to digitalize operations and specialize in certain products or services. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Harstad for the pharmacy industry, and provide advice on how to develop their company in this industry.