The Café Industry in Bodø: Economic Profile, Companies, and Outlook

The café industry in Bodø is an important part of the local business structure, with a mix of established businesses and new companies. In 2025, there are 10 companies registered in the industry, with a total of 71 employees and annual revenues of approximately NOK 57.6 million. The industry shows a mix of strong and weak economic development, with some companies achieving high EBITDA margins (up to 16%) and others operating with negative results. There are no registered bankruptcies in the industry, which indicates a stable industry. The café industry is spread across several areas in the municipality, with a focus on Bodø, Tverlandet, and Saltstraumen.

Economic Trends

Annual Revenue and Employees:

Yearly Changes:

• 2016→2017: +52.3% in revenue, +118.4% in employees
• 2024→2025: -29.7% in revenue, +9.9% in employees

The industry has had a highly variable development, with a strong increase from 2017–2019, followed by a decline from 2020–2021 and an increase again from 2022–2024. In 2025, there is a significant decline in revenue, but an increase in the number of employees.

Registered Companies in the Café Industry

In Bodø, there are 10 companies registered in the café industry. The most represented organizational forms are AS (5 companies) and ANS (1 company). The main companies include:

1. Jordbærpikene City Nord As – 24 employees, NOK 17.8M in revenue, NOK 1.8M in operating profit, 16% EBITDA margin
2. Brua Kro As – 25 employees, NOK 9.6M in revenue, NOK -0.4M in operating profit, -2% EBITDA margin
3. Kjelen Kafe As – 12 employees, NOK 1.8M in revenue, NOK -0.03M in operating profit, 0% EBITDA margin

There are also registered companies with 0 employees and 0 revenue, such as Mealfood As and Mikemilano As, which may be newly established or in the start-up phase.

The café industry is spread across several areas in Bodø, with the following distribution:

Bodø has the most developed companies with higher revenues and operating profits compared to Tverlandet and Saltstraumen. Tverlandet has weaker economic performance, with negative operating profits and low EBITDA margins.

There are no registered bankruptcies in the café industry in Bodø, which indicates a stable industry. However, data show that there are large variations in operating profit and EBITDA between companies. For example:

• Jordbærpikene City Nord As has a high EBITDA margin of 16% and a positive operating profit of NOK 1.8M.
• Kjelen Kafe As has a negative EBITDA of -NOK 0.008M and a weak operating profit of -NOK 0.03M.

This shows that there are both successful and challenged companies in the industry, and that economic efficiency varies significantly.

For entrepreneurs considering starting a café in Bodø, the data show a mix of opportunities and challenges. The industry has grown in terms of employees and revenue in certain periods, but there is also a significant decline in 2025. This may be due to variations in customer behavior, bankruptcy risk, or market changes. However, there are no bankruptcies, which indicates a stable industry. There are also opportunities to establish oneself in areas such as Bodø, where companies with high revenue and operating profits are registered. Entrepreneurs should carefully analyze competitors and market needs before starting a new business.

The café industry is part of the broader restaurant/café industry in Bodø, which has 102 companies and 991 employees in 2026. The broader industry has higher revenue (NOK 560.9M in 2023) compared to the café industry (NOK 57.6M in 2023). There is also a large variation in EBITDA between companies in the broader industry, with examples such as:

• Select Service Partner As Avd Bodø Lufthavn – 74 employees, NOK 75.4M in revenue, NOK 6.7M in EBITDA
• Torget Bodø As – 15 employees, NOK 10.8M in revenue, NOK 0.585M in EBITDA

The café industry has lower revenue and fewer companies compared to the broader industry, but shows more stable development in certain areas.

The café industry in Bodø shows a mix of stability and variation in economic performance. There are opportunities to establish oneself in areas with high revenue and operating profits, but there are also challenges related to bankruptcies and declines in certain years. Entrepreneurs should carefully analyze market needs and competitors before starting a new business. SmartGrunder can help find suitable addresses and develop strategies to ensure success in this industry.