Ethnic Grocery Stores in Grimstad: Key Figures, Companies, and Development Trends

This article provides a detailed analysis of the ethnic grocery store industry in Grimstad, focusing on company structure, economic trends, geographic distribution, and future perspectives. The data shows a slightly growing sector with two registered companies, but with potential development opportunities in a municipality with increasing population and economic activity in the service sector.

Economic Trends

Sales and Employees:

• Sales for the ethnic grocery store industry in Grimstad increased by +608.1% from 2018 to 2019, but declined by -40.2% in 2021. By 2025, sales had reached NOK 3.0M.
• The number of employees has grown from 0 in 2016 to 4 employees in 2026, with an increase of +33.3% from 2025 to 2026.

Margins and Profitability:

• The EBITDA margin stands at 4% for the industry, indicating moderate profitability.
• Average salary per employee is NOK 110,000 (calculated from salary data and number of employees).

Growth Forecasts:

• Sales have grown by +9.3% from 2024 to 2025, suggesting a stable growth trend in recent years.

Registered Companies in the Industry

In Grimstad, there are 2 companies registered in the ethnic grocery store industry:

1. Al Mostafa Asian Food As (Storgaten 31, Grimstad)

• Organizational form: AS
• Founded: 2018-07-02
• Number of employees: 4
• Sales: NOK 3.0M (2025)
• EBITDA: NOK 158.0K (2025)
• Total debt: NOK 530.0K

1. Turid Frøysaa (Tykkåsen 48, Fevik)

• Organizational form: ENK
• Founded: 2013-12-18
• Number of employees: 0
• Sales: NOK 0 (2025)
• EBITDA: NOK 0 (2025)

Organizational Form Analysis:

• 1 AS company (Al Mostafa) with 4 employees and higher financial activity.
• 1 ENK company (Turid Frøysaa) with no economic activities in 2025.

The ethnic grocery store industry in Grimstad is distributed as follows:

Concentration:

• Grimstad is the main hub for the industry with 1 company and 4 employees.
• Fevik has 1 company, but no economic activities in 2025.

Potential Development Areas:

• Increased activity in Grimstad, especially in the downtown area.
• Fevik has potential for development, but needs economic activity to become an important market place.

Bankruptcies and Competitiveness:

• No bankruptcies are registered for companies in the industry in Grimstad.
• Al Mostafa Asian Food As has been in operation since 2018 and has higher financial activity.
• Turid Frøysaa has no economic activities in 2025, which may indicate an inactive company structure.

Competitiveness:

• The industry has 2 companies, but one of them (Turid Frøysaa) has no economic activities.
• Al Mostafa has a higher market share and financial stability.

Outlook for Competitiveness:

• The industry has growth potential, but must compete with larger companies in the service sector in Grimstad.

Outlook for Entrepreneurs in the Industry

Growth Opportunities:

• The industry has shown a +9.3% increase in sales from 2024 to 2025, indicating a stable growth trend.
• Al Mostafa has shown stable growth in sales and employees, which can be a good example for new entrepreneurs.

Challenges:

• The industry has 2 companies, but one of them (Turid Frøysaa) has no economic activities, which may indicate low competitiveness.
• The EBITDA margin is at 4%, which can be a challenge for new entrepreneurs.

Recommendations:

• Entrepreneurs should focus on cost control and increased market share to improve profitability.
• It may be beneficial to locate in Grimstad, where there is a higher level of economic activity.

Outlook for the Service Sector in Grimstad

The service sector in Grimstad has 52 companies and 428 employees in 2026, showing a stronger market presence than the ethnic grocery store industry.

Sales and Growth:

• Sales for the service sector in Grimstad increased by +20.8% from 2019 to 2020, reaching NOK 1,001.9M in 2025.
• Number of employees has grown by +3.1% from 2025 to 2026, showing a stable growth trend.

Competitiveness:

• The service sector has 40 companies not in the ethnic grocery store industry, including large companies such as Ng Kiwi Agder As and Ølbrygging As.
• These companies have higher sales and employee numbers, which can be a challenge for new entrepreneurs in the ethnic grocery store industry.

Recommendations:

• Entrepreneurs should focus on niche markets and cost control to compete with the large companies in the service sector.
• Locating in Grimstad may be beneficial due to the higher level of economic activity.

The ethnic grocery store industry in Grimstad has shown stable growth in recent years, with 2 companies and 4 employees in 2026. The industry has potential for further growth, but must compete with larger companies in the service sector in the municipality.

Recommendations for Entrepreneurs:

• Focus on cost control and increased market share to improve profitability.
• Locating in Grimstad can be beneficial due to higher economic activity.
• Collaboration with local authorities and websites such as SmartGrunder can provide entrepreneurs with access to more information and support in the early stages.