Ethnic Food Stores in Tromsø: A Detailed Analysis of the Industry

Other observations

Tromsø has a very small industry for ethnic food stores, with only one registered company in the sector. Sales have fallen to zero after 2018, and the number of employees has varied significantly over the years, with a sharp decline after the coronavirus pandemic. The only registered company, Karlsen Nutrition, is in bankruptcy, which shows a highly unstable industry. At the same time, data shows that the service industry in Tromsø has been more stable, with growth in sales and employees over time.

Sales and employees over time

Sales for ethnic food stores in Tromsø have been highly unstable. It reached a maximum of NOK 7.0 million in 2016 and 2017, before falling to NOK 6.4 million in 2018 and then to zero in 2019 and onwards. The number of employees has also been volatile, with a peak of 21 employees in 2018, before falling to one employee in 2021 and 2023. The most dramatic decline in employees occurred between 2020 and 2021, with a reduction of 85.7%.

Registered companies in the industry

There is only one company registered in the ethnic food store industry in Tromsø: Karlsen Nutrition. The company is registered at Ringvegen 652 and has the legal form ENK (sole proprietorship). It has been in bankruptcy since 2020 and has no sales or employees after 2018. There are no other companies in the industry in the municipality, which shows a very small market share for this industry in Tromsø.

All activities in the ethnic food store industry in Tromsø are concentrated within the municipality itself. There is no detailed data on the distribution of activities between different districts or locations within the municipality. The only registered company, Karlsen Nutrition, is located at Ringvegen 652 in Tromsø. There is no registered activity in other districts or locations within the municipality for this industry.

The ethnic food store industry in Tromsø has been marked by instability. The only registered company, Karlsen Nutrition, is in bankruptcy, which shows a very low level of survival in the industry. There are no other companies in the industry, which suggests that there is no active market share for this industry in the municipality. There is no data on bankruptcy or decline in the number of companies in the industry over time, but it is clear that the industry has been highly unstable.

Outlooks for the ethnic food store industry in Tromsø are highly uncertain. There is only one company in the industry, and it is in bankruptcy. Sales have been zero after 2018, and the number of employees has been very low. This suggests that there is no stable market share for this industry in the municipality. For entrepreneurs considering starting a business in this industry, it may be challenging to find a stable market and sufficient customer base. It may be necessary to consider opportunities for partnerships or specialization to create a differentiated offering in the market.

The service industry in Tromsø has been more stable than the ethnic food store industry. Sales have grown over time, increasing from NOK 30.7 billion in 2016 to NOK 37.4 billion in 2025. The number of employees has also been more stable, growing from 1,956 employees in 2016 to 1,846 employees in 2026. The service industry has a much larger market share than the ethnic food store industry, and there are many companies in the industry. This shows that the service industry has a better development trajectory than the ethnic food store industry in Tromsø.

The ethnic food store industry in Tromsø is very small and unstable. There is only one company in the industry, and it is in bankruptcy. Sales have been zero after 2018, and the number of employees has been very low. This suggests that there is no stable market share for this industry in the municipality. The service industry in Tromsø has, on the other hand, been more stable with growth in sales and employees over time. For entrepreneurs considering starting a business in this industry, it may be challenging to find a stable market and sufficient customer base. It may be necessary to consider opportunities for partnerships or specialization to create a differentiated offering in the market.