Industry · municipality
Asian Restaurant Industry in Karmøy: Current Status and Future Prospects
Analysis of companies, statistics, and opportunities for entrepreneurs and local decision-makers in Karmøy, Rogaland, Norway.
Executive Summary
The Asian restaurant industry in Karmøy is a small but dynamic sector with a single business: Sawasdee Thai Mat Butsaba Drivenes in Åkrehamn. The sector has shown variation in sales and number of employees over time, with a decline in 2023 and 2024. At the same time, the broader restaurant/café sector in the municipality has shown more stable development, with increasing sales and employees in recent years. This may indicate potential for development in standalone Asian restaurants, especially in a municipality with growing tourism and cultural diversity.
Economic Overview
Sales and employees in the Asian restaurant industry in Karmøy (2016–2024):
| Year | Sales (NOK) | Employees | Year-over-year change (sales) | Year-over-year change (employees) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 661.2K | 5 | - | - |
| 2017 | 623.0K | 4 | -5.8% | -20.0% |
| 2018 | 621.3K | 2 | -0.3% | -50.0% |
| 2019 | 659.0K | 4 | +6.1% | +100.0% |
| 2020 | 490.0K | 4 | -25.6% | 0.0% |
| 2021 | 504.0K | 2 | +2.9% | -50.0% |
| 2022 | 614.3K | 3 | +21.9% | +50.0% |
| 2023 | 406.0K | 5 | -33.9% | +66.7% |
| 2024 | 278.2K | 3 | -31.5% | -40.0% |
Contrast with the broader restaurant/café sector:
- Sales in the restaurant/café sector in Karmøy have increased by +6.4% from 2023 to 2024 (NOK 153.6M), while the Asian restaurant industry has fallen by -31.5%.
- The number of employees in the restaurant/café sector has increased by +23.9% from 2024 to 2025 (409 employees), while the Asian restaurant industry has been more unstable.



Companies in the Industry
Karmøy has 1 registered Asian restaurant in 2024: Sawasdee Thai Mat Butsaba Drivenes in Åkrehamn. The company is registered as ENK (sole proprietorship) and has been in operation since 2008. It has 2 employees and is not bankrupt.
Organizational form statistics:
- ENK (sole proprietorship): 1 company, 2 employees.
- No other organizational forms are registered in the industry.
Business Geography
Åkrehamn is the only town in Karmøy with activity in the Asian restaurant industry:
- Number of companies: 1
- Number of employees: 2
- Sales: 0 NOK (data missing)
This shows that the industry is heavily concentrated in a single town. This can be both an advantage (concentration of customers) and a disadvantage (dependence on local market dynamics).

Business Dynamics
Bankruptcies in the Asian restaurant industry:
- No bankruptcies are registered in the Asian restaurant industry in Karmøy from 2016 to 2024.
Contrast with broader sector:
- In the broader restaurant/café sector in Karmøy, 13 companies have gone bankrupt from 2016 to 2024, including Mcdonald's Karmøy Avd 55 and Bento Sushi Åkrehamn As.
- This shows that the Asian restaurant industry in Karmøy has been more stable than the average in the sector, but it is a small industry with little buffer against market changes.
Future Outlook
Future Outlook for Entrepreneurs
The Asian restaurant industry in Karmøy has the following development opportunities:
- Concentration in Åkrehamn: There is an opportunity to leverage existing customer bases and cultural interest in the town, but also a risk of being dependent on local market dynamics.
- Stability in standalone companies: The single business in the industry has been in operation since 2008 and has not gone bankrupt, indicating that it may be possible to establish oneself in a stable local market situation.
- Competitiveness in the broader sector: The broader restaurant/café sector in Karmøy has shown strong growth in sales and employees, which can provide opportunities to establish oneself in a competitive sector.
Recommendation: Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in Åkrehamn, where there is already an Asian restaurant, and consider adapting to local customer preferences and competitiveness in the sector.
Development in the Broader Sector (Restaurant/Café)
Sales and employees in the restaurant/café sector in Karmøy (2016–2025):
| Year | Sales (NOK) | Employees | Year-over-year change (sales) | Year-over-year change (employees) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 113.8M | 338 | - | - |
| 2017 | 117.6M | 339 | +3.3% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 122.8M | 313 | +4.5% | -7.7% |
| 2019 | 121.8M | 267 | -0.8% | -14.7% |
| 2020 | 106.7M | 280 | -12.4% | +4.9% |
| 2021 | 102.6M | 249 | -3.8% | -11.1% |
| 2022 | 127.8M | 298 | +24.6% | +19.7% |
| 2023 | 144.3M | 305 | +12.9% | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 153.6M | 330 | +6.4% | +8.2% |
| 2025 | 144.6M | 409 | -5.9% | +23.9% |
Top experts in the sector (not Asian restaurants):
- Mcdonald's Karmøy Avd 55 (sales: NOK 37.6M, EBITDA: NOK 544.2K, 58 employees)
- Select Service Partner As Avd Haugesund Lufthavn (sales: NOK 23.7M, EBITDA: NOK 2.1M, 19 employees)
- Tmp Restaurantdrift As (sales: NOK 7.9M, EBITDA: NOK 999.0K, 19 employees)
Contrast with the Asian restaurant industry:
- The broader sector has 56 companies in Karmøy, while the Asian restaurant industry has 1 company.
- Sales in the broader sector have increased by +30.5% from 2016 to 2025, while the Asian restaurant industry has been more unstable.



Other companies in restaurant / kafé (not in asian restaurant)
| Company | Industry | Address | Sales | Employees | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Select Service Partner As Avd Haugesund Lufthavn Karmøy | airport restaurant / cafe | Haugesund Lufthavn, 4262 Avaldsnes | NOK 23.7M | 19 | NOK 2.1M |
| Minigolfen Familiepark As | restaurant | Hauskevågvegen 4, 4260 Torvastad | NOK 2.6M | 16 | NOK 1.3M |
| Tmp Restaurantdrift As | restaurant | Søragadå 4, 4280 Skudeneshavn | NOK 7.9M | 19 | NOK 999.0K |
| Bankers Pizza Oasen | restaurant | Norheimstien 10, 5542 Karmsund | NOK 11.2M | 25 | NOK 626.9K |
| Mcdonald's Karmøy Avd 55 | restaurant | Vormedalsvegen 20, 5542 Karmsund | NOK 37.6M | 58 | NOK 544.2K |
| Pizzabakeren Nordheim | pizza delivery / takeaway | Austbøvegen 15B, 5542 Karmsund | NOK 9.2M | 18 | NOK 476.1K |
| Oxeburger As | cafe | Skeievegen 89, 4262 Avaldsnes | NOK 8.3M | 23 | NOK 472.0K |
| Kopervik Pizza As | restaurant | Hovedgaten 12, 4250 Kopervik | NOK 10.4M | 15 | NOK 467.0K |
| Mega Grill Kopervik As Avd Kopervik | restaurant | Hovedgaten 52, 4250 Kopervik | NOK 8.9M | 11 | NOK 457.0K |
| Mn Kurdem As | restaurant | Rådhusvegen 12, 4270 Åkrehamn | NOK 4.5M | 6 | NOK 281.0K |
| Åkrabua As | restaurant | Snartabergvegen 49, 4270 Åkrehamn | NOK 3.2M | 4 | NOK 189.0K |
| Kopervik Kebab & Isbar As | cafe | Hovedgaten 29, 4250 Kopervik | NOK 880.0K | 4 | NOK 169.0K |
| Vea Mat As | restaurant | Nesvegen 63, 4276 Veavågen | NOK 2.0M | 6 | NOK 162.0K |
| Skudenes Mek. Verksted Selskapslokale As | restaurant | Kanalvegen 2, 4280 Skudeneshavn | NOK 432.0K | 0 | NOK 112.0K |
| To Gode Venner As | restaurant | Havnegata 11, 4250 Kopervik | NOK 2.1M | 4 | NOK 49.0K |
| Nostalgisk Overnatting & Kafè As | restaurant | c/o Margitta Starck Sjøen|Halvorsbakken 4, 4280 Skudeneshavn | NOK 396.0K | 1 | NOK 47.0K |
| Aa Liknes As | restaurant | Stongvegen 83, 4270 Åkrehamn | NOK 0 | 19 | NOK 0 |
| Agam Hospitality As | cafe | Hestfaret 18, 5541 Kolnes | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Bento Sushi Kopervik As | sushi restaurant | Hovedgaten 8A, 4250 Kopervik | NOK 0 | 7 | NOK 0 |
| Bento Sushi Åkrehamn As | sushi restaurant | Rådhusvegen 12, 4270 Åkrehamn | NOK 0 | 13 | NOK 0 |
| Blikshavn Bod Ans | restaurant | Blikshavn, 4280 Skudeneshavn | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Burger Haugesund As | restaurant | Austbøvegen 2, 5542 Karmsund | NOK 0 | 11 | NOK 0 |
| Cafe Seilet Og Catering As | restaurant | Havnegata 9, 4250 Kopervik | NOK 0 | 7 | NOK 0 |
| China Takeaway Da | restaurant | Austre Veaveg 215, 4276 Veavågen | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Dd Haugesund 1 As | restaurant | Tungarden 1, 4270 Åkrehamn | NOK 0 | 21 | NOK 0 |
| Fontana Filippidi | restaurant | Vormedalsvegen 330, 5545 | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Hanne Bakkenes Storkiosk | restaurant | Kvednavikvegen 2, 4260 Torvastad | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Hanne Bakkenes Storkiosk | restaurant | Kvednavikvegen 2, 4260 Torvastad | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Holmen Brygge Drift As | restaurant | Holmen 9, 4280 Skudeneshavn | NOK 0 | 3 | NOK 0 |
| Hovden Hemnes Sjøhus | restaurant | Austre Veaveg 156, 4276 Veavågen | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Høines Gatekjøkken 1 Inngår I Dødsbo | restaurant | Høynestunet 2B, 4280 Skudeneshavn | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Jordbærpikene Oasen Haugesund As | cafe | Austbøvegen 16, 5542 Karmsund | NOK 0 | 16 | NOK 0 |
| Kafe Johansen | cafe | c/o THOMAS ALME|Kirkegaten 16B, 4250 Kopervik | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Kaffebaren As Tvangsavviklingsbo | restaurant | Avaldsnesvegen 3, 4250 Kopervik | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Lyngholm Catering Ans | restaurant | Veakrossen, 4275 Sævelandsvik | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Majorens Kaffestue I Skudeneshavn, Stig Roar Olsen | restaurant | Søragadå 45, 4280 Skudeneshavn | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Medhaug Kaffebar | coffeehouse | c/o Victoria Medhaug|Jorundvegen 28, 4270 Åkrehamn | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Milano Pizza & Kebab Da | restaurant | Kaigata 5, 4280 Skudeneshavn | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Palmehaven | restaurant | Austbøvegen 16, 5542 Karmsund | NOK 0 | 26 | NOK 0 |
| Pcv Burger Åkra As | pizza delivery / takeaway | Austigard 16B, 4270 Åkrehamn | NOK 0 | 9 | NOK 0 |
Conclusion
The Asian restaurant industry in Karmøy is a small but potentially stable sector with a single business in Åkrehamn. The industry has shown variation in sales and employees over time, but has not been involved in bankruptcy. The broader restaurant/café sector in the municipality has shown strong growth, which can provide opportunities to establish oneself in a competitive sector. Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in Åkrehamn, where there is already an Asian restaurant, and consider adapting to local customer preferences and competitiveness in the sector. SmartGrunder can help find suitable addresses in Karmøy for the Asian restaurant industry.