Street Food in Stange: Industry Overview and Outlook

Sales growth and employee development:

• Sales growth: The street food sector in Stange has shown stable growth since 2016, with total sales increasing from NOK 17.5 million in 2016 to NOK 31.0 million in 2025. The most significant increase occurred in 2024–2025 (+9.2 %).
• Employee development: The number of employees has varied, with a maximum of 29 in 2019 and a minimum of 20 in 2023. In 2025, there are 22 employees, indicating a mild increase after a decline in 2022–2023.

Key figures from the companies:

• EBITDA margin: An average of 16 % for the sector, with the highest margin at 20 % for Nye Pizza La Italia As.
• Gross margin: 60 %, indicating good cost control.
• Sales growth per company: Toppen Grill As has a growth of 6 %, while Nye Pizza La Italia As has a higher growth of 10 %.

Conclusion: The sector has shown good economic stability with high margins and sales growth over the past years, although employee numbers have been more variable.

Registered companies:

• Toppen Grill As (Storgata 34, Stange):
• Organizational form: AS
• Number of employees: 10
• Sales: NOK 8.6 million
• EBITDA: NOK 469,000
• EBITDA margin: 5 %
• Nye Pizza La Italia As (Jernbanegata 9, Stange):
• Organizational form: AS
• Number of employees: 9
• Sales: NOK 22.8 million
• EBITDA: NOK 4.7 million
• EBITDA margin: 20 %

Organizational form:

• Both companies are registered as AS (limited liability company), which is common for small and medium-sized businesses in Norway.

Conclusion: The sector consists of two large companies with high sales figures, but with variable EBITDA margins. Nye Pizza La Italia As has a significantly better economic performance compared to Toppen Grill As.

Distribution of businesses in the municipality:

• Stange: The only area with activity in the street food industry.
• Number of companies: 2
• Number of employees: 19
• Sales: NOK 31.4 million
• EBITDA: NOK 5.1 million

Conclusion: The business activity is concentrated in Stange, with no activity in other parts of the municipality. This may indicate local market dominance or limited potential for development in other areas.

Bankruptcies and operational economics:

• Bankruptcies: Neither of the two companies is registered as bankrupt, indicating good operational stability.
• Operational economics:
• Toppen Grill As: Lower EBITDA margin (5 %) compared to Nye Pizza La Italia As (20 %).
• Nye Pizza La Italia As: Higher sales and better EBITDA margin, indicating effective cost control.

Conclusion: The sector has proven to be relatively stable with no bankruptcies, but with variable economic performance between companies. This may be a result of different market positions or operational strategies.

Outlook for entrepreneurs

Growth and opportunities:

• Stable growth pattern: Sales have grown continuously since 2016, with a notable increase in 2024–2025. This indicates stable demand for street food in Stange.
• High margins: An average EBITDA margin of 16 %, providing room for growth and development.
• Competitiveness: Two large companies dominate the market share, but it is possible to establish oneself in a niche market or through differentiation.

External factors:

• Competition from the fast food sector: The broader fast food industry in Stange has shown extreme growth in 2024–2025 (113.5 %), which may affect demand for street food.
• Municipal support opportunities: Stange has good infrastructure and potential to develop into a cultural and food city, which could be beneficial for street food businesses.

Conclusion: It is possible to start a street food business in Stange, but it is important to analyze the competition and find a unique position in the market. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations and strategies to compete effectively.

Contrast between fast food and street food:

• Number of companies: The fast food sector has 5 companies, while street food has 2. This shows that fast food is a larger and more diversified industry.
• Sales: The fast food sector has shown extreme growth in 2024–2025 (113.5 %), with total sales of NOK 70.6 million in 2025. Street food has lower, but stable growth.
• Employees: The fast food sector has a significantly higher number of employees (107 in 2025) compared to street food (22 in 2025).

Peer companies in fast food:

Conclusion: The fast food sector has a significantly higher growth rate and larger scale compared to street food. This may provide opportunities for collaboration or development of larger businesses, but there is also competition from large companies like McDonalds and Burger King.

The street food industry in Stange has proven to be a stable and growth-oriented sector with high margins and good economic performance. The two large companies, Toppen Grill As and Nye Pizza La Italia As, have shown themselves to be competitive, but it is possible to establish oneself in a niche market or through differentiation. The broader fast food sector in Stange has a significantly higher growth rate and larger scale, which may provide opportunities for collaboration or development of larger businesses. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations and strategies to compete effectively in this market segment.