Ice Cream Café in Trondheim: Industry Overview and Outlook

Overview of Market Development

In Trondheim, the ice cream café industry has shown robust growth in recent years. From 2022 to 2025, sales have increased by 7.2%, from NOK 7.4M to NOK 7.9M. Workforce development shows an increase from 19 employees in 2024 to 21 employees in 2026, indicating growing activity in the sector. The EBITDA margin stands at 20%, showing good operational health for registered businesses.

Economic Overview

Sales Development:

• 2022: NOK 3.8M
• 2023: NOK 5.6M (+46.4%)
• 2024: NOK 7.4M (+32.3%)
• 2025: NOK 7.9M (+7.2%)

Workforce Development:

• 2022: 14 employees
• 2023: 17 employees (+21.4%)
• 2024: 19 employees (+11.8%)
• 2026: 21 employees (+23.5%)

Operating Result:

• EBITDA margin of 20% in 2025
• Average operating result per employee of NOK 89.2K
• High gross margin of 2302% (2025)

Companies in the Industry

In Trondheim, there are 2 companies registered in the ice cream café industry:

1. Funky Kioskdrift AS Avd City Lade Senter

• Address: Haakon VII's gate 3B, Trondheim
• Organizational form: AS
• Number of employees: 14
• Sales: NOK 3.7M
• EBITDA: NOK 761.1K
• Founded: 2014-10-02

1. Funky Kioskdrift AS Avd City Syd

• Address: Østre Rosten 28, Tiller
• Organizational form: AS
• Number of employees: 11
• Sales: NOK 4.1M
• EBITDA: NOK 830.3K
• Founded: 2023-01-01

Both companies are AS entities and have shown stable growth in both sales and operating results.

Business Geography

The industry is distributed across two main areas in Trondheim:

Both locations show high operating results, with EBITDA margins of 20% in both cases. Tiller has achieved higher sales than Trondheim, but Trondheim has more employees.

Business Dynamics

The industry has shown significant stability with no bankruptcy registrations during the recorded years. Both companies have been in operation since 2014 and 2023 respectively, without signs of financial problems. The EBITDA margin has remained at 20% in all years, indicating good operational control.

Outlook for Entrepreneurs

The ice cream café industry in Trondheim shows clear growth in both sales and number of employees. With an EBITDA margin of 20% and high gross margin (2302%), the sector is attractive for new entrepreneurs. The high consumer economy in Trondheim and growth in the service sector in general can provide good opportunities for further development. However, it is important to note the competition from both local and national chain operators.

The fast food sector in Trondheim has shown more variation in development than the ice cream café industry. From 2016 to 2025, sales have grown by 48.3%, from NOK 166.2M to NOK 245.7M. Workforce development has been more fluctuating, with an increase from 740 employees in 2016 to 987 employees in 2025. Key companies in the sector include McDonald's Solsiden (NOK 108.4M in sales) and Rosenborg Bakeri AS (NOK 22.6M in sales).

Competing companies in the fast food sector:

The ice cream café industry has a higher EBITDA margin (20%) compared to the average in the fast food sector (approximately 10-15%), but operates in a smaller market segment.

Conclusion

The ice cream café industry in Trondheim shows clear growth and good operational health. With two stable companies and high margins, the sector is attractive for new entrepreneurs. At the same time, the fast food sector in Trondheim shows a broader variation in businesses and larger market share. For entrepreneurs, it is important to consider competition from both local and national chain operators, as well as to leverage Trondheim's high consumer economy. SmartGrunder can help find optimal locations and assess operational opportunities in the municipality.