The Café Industry in Stange: Companies, Statistics, and Outlook

The café industry in Stange municipality is a small but dynamic sector with four registered companies. In recent years, the industry has experienced both challenges and growth, with a mix of established companies and new players. The most central activity takes place in Stange town center, focusing on both traditional cafés and modern concepts. The industry has relatively stable employment, with an average wage expense of 1.9 million NOK per year. The EBITDA margin is at 2%, showing that the operating profit is relatively low compared to revenue. However, there is a clear variation between the companies, with Sentrumskafeen As being the most profitable player in the sector.

Economic trends

Revenue:

• 2016: 12.2 million NOK
• 2017: 10.7 million NOK
• 2018: 5.8 million NOK
• 2019: 1.9 million NOK
• 2020: 2.7 million NOK
• 2021: 3.4 million NOK
• 2022: 3.3 million NOK
• 2023: 4.1 million NOK
• 2024: 4.6 million NOK
• 2025: 4.8 million NOK

Number of employees:

• 2016: 29 employees
• 2017: 24 employees
• 2018: 25 employees
• 2019: 26 employees
• 2020: 22 employees
• 2021: 11 employees
• 2022: 9 employees
• 2023: 9 employees
• 2024: 16 employees
• 2025: 15 employees
• 2026: 19 employees

The most notable trends are a sharp decline in revenue from 2016 to 2019 (a decline of 66.7%), followed by a gradual increase from 2020 onwards. The number of employees has been more variable, with a sharp decline in 2021 (50%) and an increase from 2023 to 2026. The average wage expense per employee is 549,400 NOK, while EBITDA per employee is 14,800 NOK.

Registered companies

1. Sentrumskafeen As (Storgata 13, Stange)

• Legal form: AS
• Founded: 2019-01-21
• Number of employees: 11
• Revenue: 4.8 million NOK
• EBITDA: 130,000 NOK

1. Indian Princess As (Storgata 18, Stange)

• Legal form: AS
• Founded: 2022-01-12
• Number of employees: 9
• Revenue: 0 NOK

1. Jarle Hoels Kro (Storgata 9, Stange)

• Legal form: ENK
• Founded: 1995-02-20
• Number of employees: 1
• Revenue: 0 NOK

1. Shirzai Drift (Telthusvegen 14, Stange)

• Legal form: ENK
• Founded: 2024-08-14
• Number of employees: 0
• Revenue: 0 NOK

Legal form statistics

Geographic distribution

All four companies in the café industry in Stange are located in the municipality's town center. The distribution is as follows:

• Stange (3 companies, 21 employees, 4.8 million NOK revenue)
• Sentrumskafeen As (Storgata 13)
• Indian Princess As (Storgata 18)
• Jarle Hoels Kro (Storgata 9)

• Telthusvegen (1 company, 0 employees, 0 NOK revenue)
• Shirzai Drift (Telthusvegen 14)

There is a clear concentration of activity in Stange town center, with Storgata as the main axis. This indicates that the café industry in the municipality is linked to the needs of tourists and the local population in the center.

Within the café industry in Stange, there are no registered bankruptcies. However, the data show that two of the four companies (Indian Princess As and Jarle Hoels Kro) have 0 NOK revenue, which may indicate that they are in a transitional phase or have encountered challenges. Shirzai Drift, founded in 2024, has no activity yet. This shows that the industry has some degree of uncertainty, but also potential for new businesses. Sentrumskafeen As is the only company with positive revenue and operating profit, showing that it is possible to operate profitably in the municipality.

For entrepreneurs considering starting a café in Stange, the data show both opportunities and challenges. The most notable opportunity is the gradual increase in revenue from 2020 onwards, with an increase from 1.9 million NOK in 2019 to 4.8 million NOK in 2025. However, there is a competitive market environment, with four existing companies. Sentrumskafeen As has a significant advantage in the form of positive revenue and operating profit, while the other companies face challenges. Entrepreneurs should therefore consider differentiating themselves through unique concepts or quality assurance. It is also possible to utilize the geographic concentration in Stange town center, where a café culture has been established.

Outlook for the restaurant and café industry in Stange

The broader restaurant and café industry in Stange has a more stable development than the café industry alone. In 2025, this industry had a revenue of 4.8 million NOK, with 57 employees. There are 17 companies in this industry, four of which are cafés. The most important peer companies in this industry (which are not cafés) include:

The broader industry has a more stable development, with an increase in the number of employees from 30 in 2021 to 63 in 2026. This shows that the restaurant and café industry in Stange has a more robust structure than the café industry alone. Entrepreneurs should therefore consider analyzing both the café and restaurant industries to find possible places in the market environment.

The café industry in Stange municipality shows both opportunities and challenges for new players. With a gradual increase in revenue and a concentration of activity in the municipality's town center, it is possible to establish oneself in a competitive market environment. However, it is important to be aware of the challenges faced by existing companies, as well as to consider how to differentiate oneself through unique concepts or quality assurance. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find optimal addresses in Stange for café operations, based on both market analysis and operational economic expectations.