Ethnic Grocery Stores in Lillehammer: A Detailed Industry Analysis

This article provides a detailed overview of the ethnic grocery store industry in Lillehammer, focusing on companies, economic trends, geographic distributions, and future perspectives. The data shows a very small but dynamic industry with a single business located in the center of the municipality. The article analyzes both the local ethnic grocery store sector and compares it with the broader service sector in Lillehammer.

Economic Trends

Sales increased until 2021, followed by a sharp decline of 39.9% in 2022. A weak increase was recorded in 2023 and 2024, but the number of employees has been 0 in these years. The EBITDA margin has been negative (-3%) throughout the period, indicating that the industry has been marked by losses for several years.

Active Companies

There is one registered company in the industry in Lillehammer: Lilly Marked As (Kirkegata 70). The company was founded in 2014 and has been organized as an AS. It had 5 employees in 2022, but the number has decreased to 0 in 2023 and 2024. Economic data shows a negative EBITDA of -56.0K NOK in 2022, and total debt of 999.0K NOK.

Organizational Forms

All businesses in the industry are organized as AS. There are no companies in other organizational forms such as ENKELTVIRKSOMHET or KF (municipal company).

Geographic Distribution

All businesses in the industry are located in Lillehammer. There is no activity registered in other districts or municipalities. This suggests that ethnic grocery stores in the municipality are concentrated in the central area, possibly due to higher population density and greater market potential.

Operational Dynamics and Bankruptcy Statistics

There are no registered bankruptcies in the industry in Lillehammer. However, the data shows that the business has been marked by negative economic results, with a negative EBITDA and a decline in the number of employees from 5 in 2022 to 0 in 2023. This may indicate that the industry has been subject to economic challenges, which may be related to high bankruptcy risk in the sector.

For entrepreneurs considering establishing themselves in ethnic grocery stores in Lillehammer, it is important to be aware of the economic challenges in the sector. The data shows that the industry has been marked by negative results and unstable employee numbers. Nevertheless, there may be opportunities in a market segment that could have high demand in a city with many international residents. Entrepreneurs should consider focusing on cost control and efficient operations to ensure profitability.

Service Sector Comparison

The broader service sector in Lillehammer has been more stable in both the number of employees and sales. In 2025, the service sector had 603 employees, while the ethnic grocery store industry had 0 employees. Sales in the service sector increased by 6.8% in 2024, while the ethnic grocery store industry had a weak increase of 6.0% in 2024. Key companies in the service sector include Kiwi, Coop Mega, and Normal Norge, which have higher sales and more employees than the ethnic grocery store industry.

The ethnic grocery store industry in Lillehammer is a small but dynamic sector with a single business. Although the industry has been marked by negative economic results and unstable employee numbers, there may be opportunities for entrepreneurs who want to establish themselves in a market segment with potential demand. It is important to be aware of the economic challenges and to focus on efficient operations to ensure profitability. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations and strategies to establish themselves in this industry in Lillehammer.