The Pharmacy Industry in Senja: Current Situation and Future Outlook

The pharmacy industry in Senja has proven to be a stable and growth-oriented sector with three registered companies in the municipality. All three pharmacies are organized as AS and operate in Finnsnes, which is the only area with activity within the industry. Sales have grown from 83.9 million Norwegian kroner in 2016 to 168.2 million Norwegian kroner in 2025, despite a significant decline in 2017. Employment figures have shown more variation, but indicate an upward trend from 2023 onward. The industry has no bankrupt companies, indicating a stable business environment. Further analysis will delve into economic figures, company structure, and geographic distributions.

Economic Development Figures

Sales Development (2016–2025):

Employment Development (2016–2026):

Sales have been marked by a significant decline in 2017, but have since grown with an average annual rate of approximately 10% from 2018 to 2025. Employment figures have shown more variation, but indicate stabilization from 2023 onward. The highest sales were achieved in 2025 with 168.2 million Norwegian kroner, while the number of employees reached 64 in 2026.

Registered Companies in the Industry

In Senja, three pharmacy companies are registered:

1. Apotek 1 Valen Finnsnes (Storgata 7, Finnsnes) – AS, founded in 2005, 29 employees
2. Apotek 1 Finnsnes (Storgata 18, Finnsnes) – AS, founded in 1965, 20 employees
3. Apotek 1 Senja (Meierigata 2, Finnsnes) – AS, founded in 2018, 19 employees

All companies are organized as AS, and there are no bankrupt companies in the industry. The three companies had a combined sales of 168.2 million Norwegian kroner in 2025 and an average EBITDA margin of 7%. They also have higher average sales per employee compared to other industries in the region.

Geographic Distribution of the Business

All three pharmacies in Senja operate in Finnsnes, which is the only area with activity within the industry. In Finnsnes, the following are registered:

• 3 companies
• 68 employees
• Sales of 154.7 million Norwegian kroner
• EBITDA of 11.4 million Norwegian kroner
• Average sales per employee of 2.7 million Norwegian kroner

Finnsnes is therefore the only area in the municipality with activity within the pharmacy industry, and it is here that the three companies have their headquarters.

Operational Dynamics and Bankruptcy Statistics

Within the pharmacy industry in Senja, there are no bankrupt companies, indicating a stable business environment. Operational dynamics show that the number of employees has been more variable, but has stabilized from 2023 onward. The highest number of employees was achieved in 2019 with 67 employees, while the lowest was recorded in 2022 with 48 employees. Sales have grown with an average annual rate of approximately 10% from 2018 to 2025, despite a significant decline in 2017.

Future Outlook for the Pharmacy Industry in Senja

The pharmacy industry in Senja shows signs of stable growth and a sound operational economy. Sales have grown with an average annual rate of approximately 10% from 2018 to 2025, and the number of employees has stabilized from 2023 onward. The highest sales were achieved in 2025 with 168.2 million Norwegian kroner, and there are no bankrupt companies in the industry. This indicates a stable business environment and good prospects for future investments. For entrepreneurs, this could be a good starting point to launch a new pharmacy business in the municipality, especially in Finnsnes where a strong presence is already established.

Outlook for the Crafts Industry in Relation to Pharmacies

The crafts industry in Senja has a larger number of companies (4) compared to the pharmacy industry (3), and shows more variation in sales and number of employees. Sales in the crafts industry have grown from 95.3 million Norwegian kroner in 2016 to 184.1 million Norwegian kroner in 2025, with an average annual growth of approximately 12%. The number of employees has also grown from 61 in 2016 to 77 in 2026. This shows that the crafts industry has more stable growth than the pharmacy industry, although the pharmacy industry has a higher average sales per employee. One of the key peer companies in the crafts industry is Synssenteret AS (Ringveien 26, Finnsnes), which has sales of 16.0 million Norwegian kroner and 13 employees. This shows that the crafts industry has a broader variation in company size and business areas compared to the pharmacy industry.

The pharmacy industry in Senja proves to be a stable and growth-oriented sector with three registered companies in the municipality. All three pharmacies are organized as AS and operate in Finnsnes, which is the only area with activity within the industry. Sales have grown from 83.9 million Norwegian kroner in 2016 to 168.2 million Norwegian kroner in 2025, despite a significant decline in 2017. Employment figures have shown more variation, but indicate an upward trend from 2023 onward. The industry has no bankrupt companies, indicating a stable business environment. Further analysis shows that the crafts industry in Senja has a larger number of companies and more stable growth than the pharmacy industry. This could be a good starting point for entrepreneurs wishing to start a new business in the municipality, especially in Finnsnes where a strong presence is already established.