The Café Industry in Ålesund: Current Situation and Future Prospects

The Café Industry in Ålesund: Current Situation and Future Prospects

The café industry in Ålesund is a dynamic but relatively small sector with 7 registered businesses in the municipality. In 2025, the industry had 44 employees and achieved sales revenue of approximately NOK 49.2 million. The industry is part of the broader restaurant/café sector, which has 106 businesses in the municipality and shows a more stable economic development. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations and strategies to establish themselves in this sector.

Sales Development (2016–2025):

• 2016: NOK 32.5 million
• 2025: NOK 49.2 million (+6.6% from 2024)

Employee Development (2016–2025):

• 2016: 52 employees
• 2025: 44 employees (-8.3% from 2024)

The café industry had an EBITDA margin of 3% in 2025, lower than the broader restaurant/café sector (10.5%). Sales growth has been uneven, with a sharp decline in 2019 (from NOK 46.0 million to NOK 18.6 million) and an increase in 2020 (to NOK 42.8 million).

Registered Businesses (2025):

Other Organizational Forms:

• ENK (sole proprietorship): 1 business (Café Herman) with 0 employees and 0 sales revenue.
• DA (limited liability company): 1 business (Golfkantina DA) with 0 employees and 0 sales revenue.

Bankruptcy Safety: None of the businesses in the industry are registered as bankrupt in 2025.

Activity Distributed Across Locations in Ålesund (2025):

Café businesses are most concentrated in Ålesund, with 5 businesses and 53 employees. Ørskog has one business (Ørskog Drift AS), but this reports 0 sales revenue and 0 employees in 2025.

Employee Development (2016–2025):

• 2016: 52 employees
• 2025: 44 employees
• Largest Decline: -23.1% from 2016 to 2017
• Largest Increase: +52.3% from 2025 to 2026

Bankruptcies: None of the businesses in the café industry are registered as bankrupt in 2025. This indicates a relatively stable operation in the sector, even though the number of employees has varied significantly over the years.

The café industry in Ålesund shows greater variations in sales development compared to the broader restaurant/café sector. Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in Ålesund, where there is the most activity, and focus on differentiation to compete with large businesses like Coop Nordvest SA. Economic challenges include a low EBITDA margin (3%) and uneven sales growth. However, there is potential in 2026, where the number of employees increased by 52.3% from 2025 to 2026.

Economic Data (2025):

• Number of Businesses: 106
• Sales Revenue: NOK 353.6 million
• Number of Employees: 1,025
• EBITDA Margin: 10.5%

Peer Businesses (Top 5 by EBITDA):

The café industry is a small part of the broader restaurant/café sector, which has higher sales revenue and better EBITDA margins. Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in this sector to benefit from a larger market share and more stable economy.

The café industry in Ålesund is a small but dynamic sector with growth potential, especially in 2026. Economic challenges include a low EBITDA margin and uneven sales development. Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in Ålesund, where there is the most activity, and focus on differentiation to compete with existing businesses. The broader restaurant/café sector in the municipality shows better economic results and can be an attractive alternative for entrepreneurs.