Industry · municipality
The Café Industry in Midt Telemark: Current Situation and Future Prospects
A detailed analysis of companies, economic trends, and development opportunities
Executive Summary
Key Figures and Overall Situation
The café industry in Midt Telemark consists of 2 companies in 2025, with a total payroll cost of NOK 0 and 46 employees. There has been a clear decline in sales since 2016, from NOK 18.0 million to NOK 0 in 2018 and onwards. Employees have been more stable, with a peak level of 48 employees in 2022. The industry is dominated by AS companies, with one company type registered.
Development Trends
Sales data show a sharp decline from 2016 to 2017 (–40.6%) and a total decline to zero in 2018. Employees have been more variable, with a rise from 38 to 48 employees between 2016 and 2022, followed by a decline to 39 employees in 2025. This indicates a greater stability in the labor market than in sales results.
Comparison with Broader Sector
The café industry is part of the larger restaurant/café sector in the municipality, which has 28 companies. The broader sector shows a greater variation in sales and employees, with a rise from NOK 18.7 million in 2016 to NOK 50.1 million in 2025. This shows that the café industry has a smaller market share compared to other restaurant types.
Economic Overview
Sales Development
Sales for the café industry in Midt Telemark have experienced a strong decline over the years:
| Year | Sales (NOK) | Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 18.0M | - |
| 2017 | 10.7M | -40.6% |
| 2018 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 2019–2026 | 0 | - |
Workforce Development
The number of employees has been more stable, with the following development:
| Year | Number of Employees | Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 38 | - |
| 2017 | 33 | -13.2% |
| 2018 | 38 | +15.2% |
| 2022 | 48 | +6.7% |
| 2025 | 39 | -15.6% |
Conclusion from Economic Data
The café industry has been marked by a sales decline since 2017, but the workforce has been relatively stable. This may indicate that companies have focused on retaining employees even as incomes have fallen.
Companies in the Industry
Registered Companies
There are 2 companies registered in the café industry in Midt Telemark:
- Årnes Kafeteria (Strannavegen 302, Gvarv)
- Organizational form: AS
- Founded: 1968
- Number of employees: 46
- Bankrupt: No
- Gunhild Jonsås Aaknes (Fykerudvegen 9, Nordagutu)
- Organizational form: ENK
- Founded: 1996
- Number of employees: 0
- Bankrupt: No
Organizational Form
- AS companies: 1 company (Årnes Kafeteria) with 46 employees
- ENK companies: 1 company (Gunhild Jonsås Aaknes) with 0 employees
Business Geography
Distribution of Activity
The café industry in Midt Telemark is concentrated in Gvarv:
| Location | Number of Companies | Number of Employees | Sales (NOK) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gvarv | 1 | 46 | 0 |
There is no data for other parts of the municipality, which indicates that the café industry is strongly focused on Gvarv.
Business Dynamics
Bankruptcy Safety
There are no registered bankruptcies in the café industry in Midt Telemark during the period 2016–2026. Both companies (Årnes Kafeteria and Gunhild Jonsås Aaknes) are not bankrupt according to the data.
Industry Stability
The industry shows no bankruptcy activity, which indicates that companies have been stable during the analysis. This may be a result of low operating costs or support from the local market.
Outlook
Development Opportunities
The café industry in Midt Telemark has greater development opportunities in terms of sales, despite a strong decline since 2016. This may be due to:
- Low bankruptcy risk in the industry
- Stable number of employees (46 in 2022)
- Potential market development compared to the broader restaurant sector
Recommendations for Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs should consider focusing on quality and local conditions to increase sales. It may be advantageous to collaborate with existing companies such as Årnes Kafeteria to utilize local resources.
Outlook for Broader Sector
Broader Sector: Restaurant/Café
The broader restaurant/café sector in Midt Telemark has 28 companies, with the following development:
| Year | Sales (NOK) | Number of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 18.7M | 39 |
| 2025 | 50.1M | 235 |
Comparison with the Café Industry
- Sales: Broader sector has higher sales (NOK 50.1M in 2025 vs. NOK 0 for the café industry)
- Number of Employees: Broader sector has 235 employees in 2025 vs. 39 employees in the café industry
- EBITDA: Broader sector has higher EBITDA (e.g., NOK 4.8M for Studentsamskipnaden I Sørøst Norge Mat Og Drikke Bø)
Peer Analysis
| Name | Address | Sales (NOK) | EBITDA (NOK) | Number of Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studentsamskipnaden I Sørøst Norge Mat Og Drikke Bø | Gullbringvegen 36, 3800 Bø I Telemark | 3.5M | 4.8M | 5 |
| The Bull Inn As | Bøgata 11, 3800 Bø I Telemark | 5.8M | 516K | 11 |
| Sum Yee Restaurant &bar As | Stasjonsvegen 40, 3800 Bø I Telemark | 5.3M | 215K | 6 |
This shows that the restaurant industry has greater economic activity than the café industry in the municipality.
Other companies in restaurant / kafé (not in cafe)
| Company | Industry | Address | Sales | Employees | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studentsamskipnaden I Sørøst Norge Mat Og Drikke Bø | restaurant | Gullbringvegen 36, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 3.5M | 5 | NOK 4.8M |
| Aarnes Gruppen Eiendom As | restaurant | Strannavegen 302, 3810 Gvarv | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 1.7M |
| The Bull Inn As | restaurant | Bøgata 11, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 5.8M | 11 | NOK 516.0K |
| Sum Yee Restaurant &bar As | restaurant | Stasjonsvegen 40, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 5.3M | 6 | NOK 215.0K |
| Akkerhaugen Kiosk Og Gatekjøkken V/sardar Khan | restaurant | Sauheradvegen 282, 3812 Akkerhaugen | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Akkerhaugen Kiosk Og Gatekjøkken V/sardar Khan | restaurant | Sauheradvegen 282, 3812 Akkerhaugen | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Beijing House Bø As | restaurant | Bøgata 54, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 0 | 8 | NOK 0 |
| Bø Pizzapub Da | restaurant | Bøgata 83, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Bø Sportsbar As | restaurant | Rueguto 101, 3803 Bø I Telemark | NOK 0 | 25 | NOK 0 |
| Campino Pizza Og Grill As | restaurant | Bøgata 32, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 0 | 4 | NOK 0 |
| Feng Holding As | restaurant | Bøgata 54, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Jafs Midt Telemark As | restaurant | Stasjonsvegen 1, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 0 | 1 | NOK 0 |
| Langemyr Handel As | restaurant | Seljordvegen 314, 3803 Bø I Telemark | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Langrønningen Kafé As | restaurant | Strannavegen 302, 3810 Gvarv | NOK 0 | 27 | NOK 0 |
| Lorins Grill Da | restaurant | Gvarvgata 49, 3810 | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Meieri Smuget Liv Hildur Larsen | restaurant | Gullbringvegen 6, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| My Pizza Notodden As | restaurant | Bøgata 83, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 0 | 9 | NOK 0 |
| Provence Restaurant As | restaurant | Bøgata 70, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 0 | 18 | NOK 0 |
| Roma Pizzeria Og Bar Shalay Hamza Yasin Yasin | restaurant | Gvarvgata 49A, 3810 | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Stasjonsbua As | restaurant | Stasjonsvegen, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 0 | 7 | NOK 0 |
| Stugo As | restaurant | Hørtevegen 561, 3811 | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Aarnesgruppen Holding As | restaurant | Strannavegen 302, 3810 Gvarv | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK -88.0K |
| Midt Telemark Pizza As | restaurant | Bøgata 61, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 7.6M | 18 | NOK -106.0K |
| Pizza Fjoset As | restaurant | Bøgata 11, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 10.4M | 23 | NOK -145.0K |
| Dattebayo As | sushi restaurant | Folkestadvegen 1, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 12.5M | 17 | NOK -152.0K |
| Husly Kafé & Catering As | restaurant | Bøgata 61, 3800 Bø I Telemark | NOK 5.7M | 23 | NOK -360.0K |
Conclusion
The café industry in Midt Telemark has stable workforce and no bankruptcy activity, but a strong decline in sales since 2016. The broader restaurant/café sector shows greater economic activity and potential opportunities for entrepreneurs. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs explore addresses and market conditions in the municipality for this industry.