Ethnic Grocery Store Industry in Bodø: A Comprehensive Analysis

Industry Overview

The ethnic grocery store industry in Bodø consists of 3 registered companies in the municipality, with a combined sales volume of NOK 8.2M in 2025. The industry has experienced both growth and decline over time, with a sales peak in 2022 (NOK 16.0M) followed by a sharp decline in 2023 and 2024. Workforce development shows an increase from 2016 to 2021, followed by a decline since. One of the companies in the industry, Brødrene Khalaf AS, is registered as bankrupt, indicating some dynamism in the industry.

Sales figures for the ethnic grocery store industry in Bodø show a significant increase from 2016 to 2022, rising from NOK 1.4M to NOK 16.0M. This was followed by a sharp decline in 2023 and 2024, with sales figures falling to NOK 10.7M and NOK 9.9M respectively. Workforce development has been more stable, with a peak of 13 employees in 2021 and a decline to 9 employees in 2025. EBITDA margins have varied significantly, with a positive margin of 1% in 2022 and a negative margin of -63% in 2023 for the bankrupt company.

The following companies are registered in the ethnic grocery store industry in Bodø:

1. Asia Marked AS (Storgata 27) – AS, established 2018, 8 employees, sales of NOK 8.3M in 2024.
2. Snags AS (Fredensborgveien 40A) – AS, established 2022, 1 employee, no sales in 2024.
3. Brødrene Khalaf AS (Kongens gate 31) – AS, established 2019, 0 employees, bankruptcy in 2025.

Organizational form statistics show that 2 of the 3 companies are registered as AS, with a combined sales volume of NOK 8.3M and 9 employees.

All companies in the ethnic grocery store industry in Bodø are located in the Bodø city center. There are 2 companies and 9 employees registered in the municipality, with a total sales volume of NOK 8.3M. There are no special geographic patterns in the distribution of companies, but there is a clear concentration in central parts of the municipality.

The industry has experienced bankruptcy in 2025, with Brødrene Khalaf AS being the only company registered as bankrupt. This company had a sales volume of NOK 1.3M in 2025, but a negative operating income of NOK -822.0K and an EBITDA of NOK -813.0K. The bankruptcy indicates some instability in the industry, particularly for companies with a low number of employees and low sales volume.

Outlook for Founders

For founders considering establishing themselves in the ethnic grocery store industry in Bodø, it is important to be aware of the rising bankruptcy risk and declining sales figures after 2022. This may be due to economic pressure and bankruptcy in one of the largest companies in the industry. However, there may be opportunities in a growing market for specialized stores, especially if there is a need for ethnic goods in the municipality. Founders should consider establishing themselves in central parts of Bodø and be mindful of costs and operating margins.

The broader services sector in Bodø has a much larger scale than the ethnic grocery store industry, with 111 companies in the municipality. Sales figures for the services sector have shown stable growth from NOK 2,006.5M in 2016 to NOK 2,523.8M in 2025, with an average annual growth of 2.8%. Workforce development has been more variable, with a peak of 1,215 employees in 2016 and a decline to 1,076 employees in 2025. Peer companies in the services sector include large supermarkets such as Obs City Nord (NOK 332.1M in sales, 93 employees) and Cafe City Nord (NOK 108.4M in sales, 25 employees). This shows that the services sector has a much larger scale and more stable economy than the ethnic grocery store industry.

The ethnic grocery store industry in Bodø has shown both growth and decline over time, with a bankruptcy in 2025 indicating some instability. For founders, it is important to be aware of the declining sales figures and rising bankruptcy risk, but there may also be opportunities in a growing market for specialized stores. The broader services sector in Bodø has a much larger scale and more stable economy, which can be an important factor for founders considering establishing themselves in the municipality.