Industry · municipality
The Café Industry in Holmestrand: Current Status and Outlook
A detailed analysis of the café industry in Holmestrand with a focus on companies, economics, and development trends in the Holmestrand municipality in Vestfold and Telemark.
Executive Summary
The café industry in Holmestrand shows a mix of stability and uncertainty. With five registered companies, where only one (Paletten Restaurant As) reports revenues and employees, the market is small and fragmented. However, there is a significant increase in sales and employees in 2025, which may indicate a recovery in the sector. At the same time, there are several companies in the industry that have not yet started operations or have zero revenues, indicating potential for development.
Economic Overview
Sales and employees in the café industry in Holmestrand (2016–2026):
- Sales: A sharp decline from NOK 2.3 million in 2016 to NOK 0 in 2017, followed by a gradual increase to NOK 6.8 million in 2025. The most dramatic increase is from 2024 to 2025 (+2050.4 %).
- Employees: A drastic decline from 10 employees in 2016 to 0 in 2020, with an increase to 12 employees in 2025. In 2026, the number is reduced to 11 employees.
This shows significant volatility in the industry, with a strong recovery in 2025 that may be due to the performance of individual companies, especially Paletten Restaurant As.
Companies in the Industry
In Holmestrand, five companies are registered in the café industry:
- Paletten Restaurant As (Revåveien 2, Sande I Vestfold) – AS entity, established 2015, 13 employees, sales of NOK 7.0 million, EBITDA of NOK 1.3 million.
- Frida & Karlo Kafe Og Minigalleri (Langgaten 36, Holmestrand) – ENK entity, established 2025, 0 employees, no revenues.
- Gaffel Og Vaffel Agnieszka Grzegorczyk (c/o Energihuset, Sande I Vestfold) – ENK entity, established 2024, 0 employees, no revenues.
- Gudmundsdottir (Langgaten 3, Holmestrand) – ENK entity, established 2024, 0 employees, no revenues.
- Sando Kafeteria (Langgaten 21A, Holmestrand) – ENK entity, established 2002, 0 employees, no revenues.
Only one company (Paletten) has active operations and financial data, while the rest are newly established or have not yet started operations.
Business Geography
All five companies in the café industry in Holmestrand are registered in Sande I Vestfold or Holmestrand. The only company currently in operation (Paletten Restaurant As) is located in Sande I Vestfold, while the rest are registered in Holmestrand but have not yet started operations. This suggests that Sande I Vestfold is the most important area for café operations in the municipality.
Business Dynamics
The café industry in Holmestrand shows a high degree of uncertainty and variation in operations:
- Bankruptcies: No companies in the industry are registered as bankrupt, but several have no revenues or employees.
- Operational Status: Four of the five companies have no revenues or employees, indicating that they are either newly established or have not yet started operations.
- Risk: There is a potential risk that companies that have not yet started operations may be dissolved, especially if they do not generate revenues quickly enough.
This shows that the industry is in a phase of development, with both opportunities and challenges.
Outlook
Outlook for Entrepreneurs
The café industry in Holmestrand shows potential for growth, especially after the strong increase in sales and employees in 2025. This may be due to the performance of individual companies, especially Paletten Restaurant As, which has a stable operation and high financial indicators. For entrepreneurs, this could be an opportunity to establish themselves in a market segment that is in focus, but it is also important to be aware of the challenges that come with a small and uncertain industry. It is also possible that competition will increase if more companies choose to establish themselves in the municipality.
Outlook for the Restaurant and Café Industry
Outlook for the Restaurant and Café Industry in Holmestrand
The broader category of the restaurant and café industry in Holmestrand shows a more stable development compared to the café industry:
- Sales: An increase from NOK 35.2 million in 2016 to NOK 36.6 million in 2025, with a sharp increase in 2020 (NOK 49.9 million) and a decline in 2024 (NOK 26.3 million).
- Employees: An increase from 117 employees in 2016 to 352 employees in 2025, with a decline in 2026 to 315 employees.
Peer companies in the restaurant industry:
- Gamle Eidsfos Kro (Eidsfoss) – NOK 9.1 million in sales, NOK 994,000 in EBITDA, 21 employees.
- Tollerudelva As (Sande I Vestfold) – NOK 6.0 million in sales, NOK 647,000 in EBITDA, 12 employees.
- Pizzadrift Sande As (Sande I Vestfold) – NOK 3.8 million in sales, NOK 453,000 in EBITDA, 17 employees.
This shows that the restaurant industry in Holmestrand is more stable and developed than the café industry, which is smaller and more uncertain.
Other companies in restaurant / kafé (not in cafe)
| Company | Industry | Address | Sales | Employees | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamle Eidsfos Kro | restaurant | Bråtagaten, 3095 Eidsfoss | NOK 9.1M | 21 | NOK 994.0K |
| Tollerudelva As | restaurant | 0, 3070 Sande I Vestfold | NOK 6.0M | 12 | NOK 647.0K |
| Pizzadrift Sande As | pizza delivery / takeaway | Fila 14, 3070 Sande I Vestfold | NOK 3.8M | 17 | NOK 453.0K |
| U.s. Iceplace As | restaurant | Kleivanveien 265, 3086 Holmestrand | NOK 3.1M | 9 | NOK 371.0K |
| Taste Of Thailand As | restaurant | Langgaten 3, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 470.0K | 2 | NOK 43.0K |
| Abdelkhader Pizza Og Grill | restaurant | Kleiverudveien 72, 3086 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Abdelkhader Pizza Og Grill | restaurant | Kleiverudveien 72, 3086 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Asensio Nayach Churros | restaurant | Fløyveien 62, 3084 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Bella Vista Holmestrand | restaurant | Havnegaten 9B, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Bella Vista Holmestrand As Konkursbo | restaurant | Havnegaten 9B, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Bella Vista Horten As | restaurant | Havnegaten 9B, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Belmare As | restaurant | Weidemanns gate 13, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 14 | NOK 0 |
| Burgerbill As | restaurant | Grelland 3, 3089 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Cafe Kullboden Da | restaurant | Langgaten 21, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Cappadocia Restaurant Ekte Tyrkisk Mat | restaurant | Langgaten 34, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Casablanca Pizzabar As | asian restaurant | Langgaten 46, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Crocus Invest As | restaurant | Gårdsgata 1, 3095 Eidsfoss | NOK 0 | 26 | NOK 0 |
| Due Invest As | restaurant | c/o Marit Due Akerholt|Vesthøyveien 20, 3085 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Eco Clean .shop Bahadir | restaurant | Gamle Sørlandske 214, 3073 Sande I Vestfold | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Evelyn Vidad Cariaga As | restaurant | Morten Mullers gate 26, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Fuku Sushi As | sushi restaurant | Langgaten 38, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 18 | NOK 0 |
| Fysen Kro & Catering As | sushi restaurant | Kaarbyveien 39A, 3092 Sundbyfoss | NOK 0 | 11 | NOK 0 |
| Geisha Izakaya As | restaurant | Langgaten 38, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 8 | NOK 0 |
| Go Biten Pizza Ans | restaurant | Gurannveien 1C, 3089 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Godt Og Hjemmelaget Kafe Og Landhandel As | restaurant | Hvittingfossveien 123, 3085 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 16 | NOK 0 |
| Golden Dragon As | restaurant | Rådhusgaten 15, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 3 | NOK 0 |
| Gran Søndre As | restaurant | Gran 6, 3074 Sande I Vestfold | NOK 0 | 10 | NOK 0 |
| Hana Alhasoun | restaurant | Langgaten 34, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Holmestrand Pizza As | restaurant | Hvittingfossveien 29B, 3083 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 15 | NOK 0 |
| Kaupang Gjestegård Mertens | restaurant | Korsgårdsveien 70A, 3089 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Kobber (cu) As | restaurant | Willem Stibolts vei 20, 3077 Sande I Vestfold | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Milmil Invest As | asian restaurant | Havnegaten 9B, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Mohamad Lersbrygga Pizza Og Grill | restaurant | Lersbrygga 5, 3077 Sande I Vestfold | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Njord Group Holding As | restaurant | Solsikken 6, 3086 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Nori Restaurant & Bar Nguyen | restaurant | Langgaten 21B, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Nori Restaurant & Bar Nguyen | restaurant | Langgaten 21B, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Nori Restaurant & Bar Vu | restaurant | Langgaten 21B, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Nori Restaurant & Bar Vu | restaurant | Langgaten 21B, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Nye China House Holmstrand Caina Su | restaurant | Dr Graaruds plass 3, 3080 Holmestrand | NOK 0 | 2 | NOK 0 |
| Nye Talenter | restaurant | Kirkesanger Pedersens vei 3, 3070 Sande I Vestfold | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
Conclusion
The café industry in Holmestrand shows potential for growth, especially after the strong increase in 2025. However, there is a great deal of uncertainty and variation in operations, with only one company (Paletten Restaurant As) having stable operations and financial data. For entrepreneurs, this could be an opportunity to establish themselves in a market segment that is in focus, but it is also important to be aware of the challenges that come with a small and uncertain industry. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses and locations in Holmestrand to start a café, based on data and market analysis.