Hunter Shops in Kristiansand: Industry Overview and Outlook

Kristiansand has a small but active hunting shop industry with 3 registered companies. The most significant player is Pedersens Vaabenlager AS, which operates with 5 employees and an annual operating income of NOK 29.8 million. The industry has shown significant variations in sales and operating results over the years, with a sharp increase in 2021 (NOK 45.9 million) followed by a decline in 2022. EBITDA is negative (0% margin), and there is a high level of debt (NOK 14.2 million) for the one AS organization. The industry has not registered any bankruptcies, but operational challenges are evident.

Economic Overview

Sales and employee development:

• Sales: The industry had an annual sales growth of 21% in 2021, but has since been on a downward trend. Sales in 2025 stood at NOK 29.7 million, with an annual decline of 22.9% from 2024.
• Employees: The number of employees has increased from 0 in 2016 to 5 in 2026, with an average annual growth of 25% after 2022.

Key figures:

• EBITDA margin is 0%, and operating result is negative (NOK -225,000).
• Gross profit is 26%, but operating profit is 0%.
• The debt level is high (NOK 14.2 million) for the one AS organization.

Companies in the Industry

Registered companies in Kristiansand:

1. Pedersens Vaabenlager AS (Stemmane 32N)

• Organizational form: AS
• Founded: 2002-01-02
• Employees: 5
• Operating income: NOK 29.8 million
• EBITDA: NOK -218,000
• Debt: NOK 14.2 million

1. Kvalbein Jakt (Gangdalslia 110)

• Organizational form: ENK
• Founded: 2020-09-25
• Employees: 0
• Operating income: NOK 0

1. Strømme Jakt Jostein Furholt (Gamle Strømmevei 29)

• Organizational form: ENK
• Founded: 2000-01-10
• Employees: 0
• Operating income: NOK 0

Organizational form:

• 100% of the companies are AS (1 company) or ENK (2 companies).

Business Geography

Location within the municipality:

• All 3 companies in the industry are registered in Kristiansand.
• There is no sub-counting of activity in sub-areas or neighborhoods.

Concentration:

• The industry is concentrated in a single neighborhood, which may indicate limited market opportunities for spreading activity.

Business Dynamics

Bankruptcy and operational challenges:

• No companies in the industry have registered bankruptcy.
• Pedersens Vaabenlager AS has negative EBITDA (NOK -218,000) and high debt (NOK 14.2 million), which may be a challenge for future operations.

Sales development:

• Sales had a sharp increase of 202.7% in 2021, but have since been on a downward trend with a decline of 45.2% in 2022.
• In 2025, sales stood at NOK 29.7 million, with an annual growth of 22.9% from 2024.

Outlook for Entrepreneurs

Opportunities and challenges:

• The industry has a small but active market share in Kristiansand. It is possible to develop a unique position in a market segment that is not strongly contested.
• Pedersens Vaabenlager AS is the only AS organization, which may indicate a potential advantage for a new player with a better operational strategy.
• SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Kristiansand for this industry, based on natural conditions and market challenges.

Contrast to the hunting shop industry:

• The business supplier sector in Kristiansand has 76 companies, compared to 3 in the hunting shop industry. This shows that the business supplier sector is much larger and more diversified.
• Sales: The business supplier sector had an annual sales figure of NOK 259.9 million in 2025, with a decline of 34.7% from 2024. The hunting shop industry had NOK 29.7 million in 2025, with a growth of 22.9% from 2024.
• Employees: The business supplier sector had 269 employees in 2025, while the hunting shop industry had 5 employees.

Peer companies:

• Examples of companies in the business supplier sector include Sykkelguttane AS (bike shop) and Kristiansand Båtutstyr AS (boat equipment shop), which have higher EBITDA and sales than the hunting shop industry.

Conclusion

Kristiansand has a small but active hunting shop industry with potential for development. The most significant player, Pedersens Vaabenlager AS, has operational challenges, but the industry has shown sales growth in 2025. The business supplier sector in the municipality is much larger and more stable, which can provide entrepreneurs with a better framework to start a new business. SmartGrunder can help find suitable addresses and conditions for a new hunting shop in Kristiansand.