Ethnic Grocery Stores in Steinkjer: A Detailed Analysis of Companies, Statistics, and Outlooks

The only registered ethnic grocery store in Steinkjer is Gong Asiamat As, operating from Elvegata 1. The industry shows unstable economic results, with a negative EBITDA of -5% and debt of 456,000 NOK. Although the store has been in operation since 2012, it has experienced a sales decline of -13% in 2025 compared to 2024. This indicates some degree of market vulnerability, but there are no registered bankruptcies in the industry within the municipality.

Sales for ethnic grocery stores in Steinkjer have been unstable in recent years. The highest sales were achieved in 2017 with 2.8 million NOK, while the lowest recorded sales were in 2019 with 1.3 million NOK. There has been a gradual increase since 2020, with a +6.9% rise in 2024. Employees have been even more volatile, with a peak of 8 employees in 2019 and a decline to 2 employees in 2023. There is no clear trend in the number of employees in recent years, but there is a significant decline from 2019 to 2020.

There is one registered company in the industry in Steinkjer: Gong Asiamat As. The company is an AS with 3 employees and was founded in 2012. Economic data shows a negative result: operating profit of -117,000 NOK, EBITDA of -110,000 NOK, and debt of 456,000 NOK. Although the store has a high gross profit margin of 39%, there is a negative EBITDA margin of -5%, which indicates significant operating costs relative to sales.

The only registered ethnic grocery store in Steinkjer is located in Steinkjer. There is no data on activity in other districts or municipalities in this industry. This suggests that there is no broad geographic presence in the municipality, and that Gong Asiamat As has a unique market position.

There are no registered bankruptcies in the industry in Steinkjer, but there is a significant economic burden for the single company. EBITDA is negative, and debt is high relative to equity (456,000 NOK debt vs. 118,000 NOK equity). This indicates potential economic instability. No new companies have been registered in the industry in recent years, which suggests low dynamism in the sector.

For entrepreneurs considering establishing themselves in ethnic grocery stores in Steinkjer, it is important to be aware of the existing company's economic challenges. Although there is a small market niche, it may be possible to establish oneself if there is a clear need for specialized products. However, it is important to be prepared for high operating costs and potential negative results in the early years.

Compared to the broader service sector in Steinkjer, which has 44 companies, ethnic grocery stores are a small subgroup. The broader service sector had total sales of 467 million NOK in 2025, while the single ethnic grocery store had sales of 2.1 million NOK. However, data shows that the service sector has experienced a decline in the number of employees in recent years, which could be a possible development for small companies as well. Examples of competitors in the service sector include Normal Norge As and Steinkjer Dagligvare As, which have higher sales and EBITDA than the single ethnic grocery store.

Ethnic grocery stores in Steinkjer are a small but specialized sector with a single company. Although there are economic challenges, there is an opportunity to establish oneself if there is a clear market for specialized products. It is important to be aware of high operating costs and potential negative results in the early years. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations in the municipality for this industry.