Industry · municipality
The Pharmacy Industry in Kragerø: Current Status and Future Prospects
Analysis of companies, economic trends, and development opportunities in the pharmacy industry in Kragerø, Vestfold and Telemark, Norway
Executive Summary
The pharmacy industry in Kragerø has proven to be a stable, yet dynamic sector with three registered companies in the municipality. The three companies primarily operate in Kragerø and Sannidal, and together employed 26 people in 2023. The industry has experienced both rising and falling trends over the years, with a significant sales increase of 86.3% from 2017 to 2018. At the same time, the number of employees has shown a more gradual development, with a substantial increase of 30.4% from 2025 to 2026. This indicates that the industry has potential for further growth, especially with the high gross profit margins of over 22,000% recorded for some of the companies.
Economic Trends
Sales and Employees
| Year | Sales (NOK) | Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 51.7M | 27 |
| 2017 | 35.6M | 29 |
| 2018 | 66.2M | 28 |
| 2019 | 69.6M | 28 |
| 2020 | 68.1M | 25 |
| 2021 | 72.2M | 26 |
| 2022 | 74.0M | 26 |
| 2023 | 68.9M | 25 |
| 2024 | 72.7M | 24 |
| 2025 | 75.5M | 23 |
| 2026 | - | 30 |
Sales experienced a sharp decline of 31.3% from 2016 to 2017, but stabilized afterward with a significant increase of 86.3% in 2018. From 2020 to 2025, sales grew gradually at an annual rate of 3.8%. The number of employees showed a more gradual development, with a significant increase of 30.4% from 2025 to 2026. This may indicate that the industry has been in a phase of reconstruction and preparation for future growth.



Registered Companies
The following companies are registered in the pharmacy industry in Kragerø:
- Apotek 1 Kragerø (Ytre Strandvei 8, Kragerø)
- Legal Form: AS
- Founded: 2015-06-01
- Employees: 13
- Sales: 19.3M NOK
- EBITDA: 1.4M NOK
- Vitusapotek Kragerø (Kirkegata 15, Kragerø)
- Legal Form: AS
- Founded: 1965-12-31
- Employees: 13
- Sales: 23.6M NOK
- EBITDA: 1.5M NOK
- Boots Apotek Sannidal (Kjølebrøndsveien 1, Sannidal)
- Legal Form: AS
- Founded: 2006-02-13
- Employees: 8
- Sales: 20.0M NOK
- EBITDA: 361.2K NOK
All companies are organized as AS, which indicates a certain level of stability and formal structure within the industry. There are no registered bankruptcies among the companies, which is a positive indicator of the industry's financial health.
Geographic Distribution
The pharmacy industry in Kragerø is distributed across two main areas:
- Kragerø (2 companies, 26 employees)
- Sales: 43.0M NOK
- EBITDA: 2.9M NOK
- Gross Profit: 9,856.4M NOK
- Sannidal (1 company, 8 employees)
- Sales: 20.0M NOK
- EBITDA: 361.2K NOK
- Gross Profit: 1,335.9M NOK
Kragerø dominates the industry with two companies and higher sales, while Sannidal has a smaller but still active company. This indicates that Kragerø is the main city for the pharmacy industry in the municipality, with a clear concentration of activity.

Industry Dynamics
The industry has proven to be relatively stable in terms of bankruptcy, as none of the companies have been registered in bankruptcy. This is a positive indicator of the industry's financial health. However, sales and the number of employees have shown variations over the years, which may indicate variations in the market or competition. For example, Boots Apotek Sannidal had no sales growth from 2020 to 2025, while the two companies in Kragerø had a gradual increase in sales. This may indicate that the companies in Kragerø have been more effective in adapting to market changes.
Future Prospects
The industry shows signs of potential growth, especially with the significant increase in the number of employees from 2025 to 2026. This may indicate that the companies are preparing for future development, perhaps through expansion or investments. At the same time, the companies have high gross profit margins, which may give them a good position to handle future challenges. For entrepreneurs, this can be a good opportunity, especially in Kragerø where there is already an established network of pharmacies. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations in the municipality to develop their business in this industry.
Conclusion
The pharmacy industry in Kragerø has proven to be a stable, yet dynamic sector with potential for further growth. With three registered companies and high gross profit margins, as well as a gradual increase in the number of employees, the data indicates that the industry has good financial health. For entrepreneurs, this can be a good opportunity, especially in Kragerø where there is already an established network of pharmacies. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations in the municipality to develop their business in this industry.