Industry · municipality
The Café Industry in Ullensvang: Current Situation and Future Outlook
A detailed analysis of companies, statistics, and development trends in the café sector in Ullensvang, Vestland, Norway.
Executive Summary
The café industry in Ullensvang consists of four companies, with historical variations in employee numbers and revenue. In recent years, the sector has experienced both growth and decline, peaking in 2019 and suffering a significant drop in 2023–2024. The broader categories (restaurant/café) in the municipality show a more stable development, with a total of 30 companies. This provides a benchmark for the cafés in Ullensvang, which are part of a larger, more diversified sector.
Key Figures:
- Number of companies: 4
- Maximum number of employees: 44 (2020)
- Maximum revenue: NOK 7.4M (2019)
- Largest parent category (restaurant/café): 30 companies, NOK 61.9M revenue in 2022.
Economic Overview
Revenue and employees in the café industry in Ullensvang (2016–2025):
| Year | Revenue (NOK) | Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 512.9K | 1 |
| 2017 | 2.8M | 18 |
| 2018 | 3.6M | 16 |
| 2019 | 7.4M | 30 |
| 2020 | 4.8M | 44 |
| 2021 | 5.4M | 26 |
| 2022 | 7.3M | 32 |
| 2023 | 3.4M | 36 |
| 2024 | 1.1M | 19 |
| 2025 | 1.2M | 14 |
Trends:
- Revenue: Largest growth from 2016–2019 (+443.2% in 2016–2017), but fell by 68.5% from 2023–2024.
- Employees: Highest number in 2020 (44), but fell by 73.7% from 2020–2025.
- EBITDA margin: 9% in 2019, but 0% in 2024–2025 for several companies.
Companies in the Sector
Four companies are registered in the café industry in Ullensvang:
- Cafe Rose As (Røldalsvegen 18, Odda) – 11 employees, founded 2024, EBITDA 0.
- Cafe Smelteverket As (Smelteverket 8, Odda) – 6 employees, founded 2019, EBITDA 0.
- Glacier As (Eitrheimsvegen 9, Odda) – 1 employee, founded 2016, EBITDA NOK 107.0K.
- Kvikk Cafe As (Røldalsvegen 29, Odda) – 0 employees, founded 2017, EBITDA NOK -1.0K.
Organizational forms: All companies are AS (3 companies), with a total of 18 employees and NOK 1.2M operating income in 2019. No companies are registered in bankruptcy.
Observation: Two companies have 0 revenue and EBITDA in 2024–2025, which may indicate decline or recent start-up.
Business Geography
Odda is the only location in Ullensvang with activity in the café sector, with 3 companies and 18 employees. The only company with detailed figures is Glacier As, which has:
- Revenue: NOK 1.2M
- Operating income: NOK 107.0K
- EBITDA margin: 9%
- Debt: NOK 1.1M
- Equity: NOK -1.0M
Conclusion: Activity is concentrated in Odda, which can be an advantage for new companies seeking a location, but also a challenge in terms of competition.
Business Dynamics
Bankruptcy statistics: No companies in the café sector in Ullensvang are registered in bankruptcy, but several companies have negative EBITDA (e.g., Kvikk Cafe As with NOK -1.0K in 2024). This may indicate economic challenges for certain companies.
Development trends:
- 2020–2021: Higher revenue (NOK 4.8M → 5.4M) and increased number of employees (44 → 26).
- 2022–2023: New increase in revenue (NOK 7.3M), but decline in employees (32 → 36).
- 2024–2025: Sharp decline in revenue (NOK 1.1M → 1.2M) and employees (19 → 14).
Conclusion: The sector has been unstable in recent years, with both growth and decline. This may be due to external factors such as the pandemic, but also internal challenges such as high debt and low equity in certain companies.
Future Outlook
For entrepreneurs: The café sector in Ullensvang has shown both growth and decline, with a sharp decline in 2023–2025. This can be a challenge, but also an opportunity for new companies seeking to fill market gaps. It is important to be aware of the economic challenges, such as high debt and negative EBITDA in certain companies.
Recommendation: Entrepreneurs should consider focusing on the strengths of Odda, where activity is concentrated, but also be prepared for competition and potential economic risks. It may be profitable to analyze the most successful companies in the sector (e.g., Glacier As) to learn from their strategies.
Parent Category (Restaurant/Café) in Ullensvang
Larger comparison group: The broader categories (restaurant/café) in Ullensvang have 30 companies, with a more stable development than the café sector. In 2022, this category had a revenue of NOK 61.9M and 244 employees.
Peer companies (non-café): Examples of companies in the parent category that are not cafés:
| Name | Address | Revenue (NOK) | Employees | EBITDA (NOK) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asian Wok As | Røldalsvegen 29, 5750 Odda | 7.7M | 4 | 2.5M |
| Iris Scene As | Smelteverket 121, 5750 Odda | 3.0M | 34 | 469.0K |
| Ekspedisjonen Lofthus As | 0, 5781 Lofthus | 5.3M | 41 | 254.0K |
Conclusion: The broader category has more variation in company forms and sizes, which can give entrepreneurs more opportunities to differentiate themselves. The café sector is part of this category, but has a smaller market share and more unstable development.
Other companies in restaurant / kafé (not in cafe)
| Company | Industry | Address | Sales | Employees | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asian Wok As | restaurant | Røldalsvegen 29, 5750 Odda | NOK 7.7M | 4 | NOK 2.5M |
| Røldalsterassen As | restaurant | Røldal Alpingrend, 5760 | NOK 2.9M | 4 | NOK 741.0K |
| Røldal Servicebygg As | restaurant | Røldal Alpingrend, 5760 | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 613.0K |
| Iris Scene As | restaurant | Smelteverket 121, 5750 Odda | NOK 3.0M | 34 | NOK 469.0K |
| Ekspedisjonen Lofthus As | pizza restaurant | 0, 5781 Lofthus | NOK 5.3M | 41 | NOK 254.0K |
| Ans Merkur Cafe | restaurant | Røldalsvegen 29, 5750 Odda | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Cinderella Tavern Da Fast Food Restaurant & Kiosk | restaurant | Bleie, 5776 Nå | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Ferskvaren As | restaurant | c/o Renate Røsten|Øvre Kalvanesvegen 21, 5750 Odda | NOK 0 | 25 | NOK 0 |
| Fjord & Flame As | restaurant | Eitrheimsvegen 61, 5750 Odda | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Forest Restaurant As | restaurant | Bakkegata 2, 5750 Odda | NOK 0 | 5 | NOK 0 |
| Ishtar Abbud | restaurant | Sjursledvegen 9B, 5780 Kinsarvik | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Langhuset As | restaurant | Øvre Kalvanesvegen 10, 5750 Odda | NOK 0 | 44 | NOK 0 |
| Mamma Rosa Hassan Remezan Ibrahim | restaurant | Eitrheimsvegen 9, 5750 Odda | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Pergola Odda As | restaurant | Bakkegata 18, 5750 Odda | NOK 0 | 5 | NOK 0 |
| Pizzakjellaren Da | restaurant | Bakkegata 3, 5750 Odda | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Siderhuset Naa As | restaurant | Fjordavegen 1981, 5776 Nå | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Smeltehuset Restaurant As | restaurant | Almerket 23, 5750 Odda | NOK 0 | 25 | NOK 0 |
| Thamtalung Thaimat | restaurant | Kleivavegen 17, 5750 Odda | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Trolltunga Kiosk V/linda Hanevik | restaurant | Fureflotvegen 7, 5750 Odda | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Velure Kro Og Kiosk Maria Johanna Graafland Velure. | restaurant | Velure|Gamlevegen 32, 5777 Grimo | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK 0 |
| Jondal Matkanten & Catering As | restaurant | Belsnesvegen 4, 5627 Jondal | NOK 1.9M | 2 | NOK -17.0K |
| Glåmøgd As | restaurant | Gløyp, 5780 Kinsarvik | NOK 2.1M | 15 | NOK -53.0K |
| Thai Take Away Odda As | asian restaurant | Bakkegata 4A, 5750 Odda | NOK 5.9M | 13 | NOK -130.0K |
| Smeltehuset As | restaurant | Almerket 23, 5750 Odda | NOK 600.0K | 0 | NOK -138.0K |
| Kramsjø As | restaurant | Herandsvegen 314, 5628 | NOK 2.2M | 12 | NOK -167.0K |
| Fjoren As | restaurant | Røldalsvegen 29, 5750 Odda | NOK 0 | 0 | NOK -509.0K |
Conclusion
The café industry in Ullensvang has a historical variation in revenue and number of employees, with a peak in 2019 and a sharp decline in 2023–2025. The broader categories (restaurant/café) in the municipality have a more stable development, which can be an advantage for entrepreneurs seeking to establish themselves in the area. It is important to be aware of the economic challenges, such as high debt and negative EBITDA in certain companies.
SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Ullensvang for the café sector, based on local conditions and market challenges.