The Coffee Industry in Trondheim: Current Status and Future Prospects

The coffee industry in Trondheim is an important part of the local business structure. With 42 registered companies in the municipality, including both well-known large cafes and smaller local businesses, the data shows a mix of organizational forms and economic performances. This sector has experienced both growth and challenges over time, with a combination of stable businesses and some cases of bankruptcy. This analysis provides a detailed overview of the industry, focusing on economic trends, company structure, geographic distribution, and future perspectives.

Over time, the coffee industry in Trondheim has shown variations in sales and number of employees. According to data from 2016 to 2025, sales have ranged between NOK 271.7 million and NOK 405.8 million, with a decline of 30.4% from 2024 to 2025. The number of employees has also shown variations, with an increase of 18.6% from 2021 to 2022 and a decrease of 10.9% from 2020 to 2021. This shows that the industry has been influenced by various factors, including economic variations and changes in customer preferences.

In Trondheim, there are 42 registered companies in the coffee industry, with a mix of organizational forms. The most common organizational forms are AS (25 companies) and SA (2 companies). Examples of well-known companies include Ikea As Cafe Leangen, Cafe Grafen As, and Aron Trappehuset As. These companies have varying economic performances, with variations in sales, operating profit, and EBITDA. There is also a registered bankruptcy, namely Tarbush As in Tiller, which shows that the industry is not without challenges.

The coffee industry in Trondheim is distributed across several neighborhoods and municipalities. Trondheim has the highest number of companies (19) and employees (370), while Tiller has 4 companies and 38 employees. Other neighborhoods such as Bosberg, Kattem, Leinstrand, and Heimdal also have companies, but with fewer employees and sales. This shows that Trondheim is an important central hub for cafe activity, while other neighborhoods have less activity.

The coffee industry in Trondheim has experienced some bankruptcies, showing that the industry is not without challenges. One bankruptcy has been registered, namely Tarbush As in Tiller, which had zero sales and zero employees. This may be due to various factors such as financial difficulties, competitive pressure, or changes in customer preferences. Although bankruptcies are rare, this shows that there are important risk factors to be aware of when considering starting a new business in this industry.

For entrepreneurs considering starting a cafe in Trondheim, the data shows a mix of opportunities and challenges. With a stable number of companies and a certain degree of economic variation, it may be possible to find a place in the market. However, it is important to be aware of competitive pressure and economic variations. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses and locations in Trondheim for cafe operations, with a focus on natural business development opportunities.

When comparing the coffee industry to the broader category of restaurants and cafes in Trondheim, the data shows that the broader category has a larger number of companies (473) compared to the coffee industry (42). Sales and number of employees have also shown variations over time, with a decline of 8.1% from 2024 to 2025. Examples of companies in the broader category include Norrein As, Norport As, and Frati As, which have higher sales and EBITDA compared to the coffee industry. This shows that the broader category has greater economic variation and growth opportunities.

The coffee industry in Trondheim has shown both growth and challenges over time. With a mix of stable businesses and some bankruptcies, the data shows that the industry has a certain degree of dynamism. For entrepreneurs, it is important to be aware of economic variations and competitive pressure, but there are also opportunities to find a place in the market. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses and locations in Trondheim for cafe operations, with a focus on natural business development opportunities.