Chinese/Glassware Stores in Sarpsborg – Industry Analysis and Outlook

Overall Overview

Chinese/glassware stores in Sarpsborg constitute a small, dispersed sector with 8 registered companies. Most companies have weak or no operating results, and the number of employees has fallen sharply since 2016. Although no bankruptcies have been registered in the industry, the figures indicate a highly unstable economic situation with negative EBITDA margins and low sales growth. This underscores the need for strategic reorientation or innovation to ensure future survival.

Key Figures:

• 8 companies in total
• 23 employees in total (2025)
• NOK 15.0 million in sales (2025)
• Negative EBITDA margin of -10% (2025)

Economic Overview

Sales and Employee Development (2016–2025):

Critical Observations:

• Sales have fallen by 34.5% since 2016, with a steep decline of -25.6% from 2024 to 2025.
• The number of employees has fallen by 57% since 2016, with an extreme decline of -26.3% from 2023 to 2024.
• The EBITDA margin has been negative throughout, with the lowest value at -10% in 2025.
• EBITDA per employee is -128.2K in 2025, which indicates very poor efficiency.

Conclusion: The industry has been in continuous decline over the past 9 years, with no signs of stabilization in 2025.

Companies in the Industry

Registered Companies (8 in total):

1. Kitch'n Borg (Klokkergårdveien 31) – AS, 9 employees, operating result NOK 0
2. Kitch'n Storbyen (Roald Amundsens gate 28) – AS, 5 employees, operating result NOK 0
3. Tilbords Borg (Amfi Borg) – AS, 5 employees, operating result NOK 0
4. As Christiania Glasmagasin Avd Borg (Klokkergårdveien 31) – AS, 4 employees, operating result NOK -478.1K
5. Kokkeglede As (Hannestadfjellet 45, Yven) – AS, 0 employees, operating result NOK 0
6. Lores Porselen (Vestfaret 3A, Greåker) – ENK, 0 employees, operating result NOK 0
7. Nøkleby Syvertsen (Torvaldslyst 10, Borgenhaugen) – ENK, 0 employees, operating result NOK 0

Organizational Form:

• 4 companies are AS (Anonymous Companies)
• 4 companies are ENK (Sole Proprietorships)

Interesting Observation: 3 companies have 0 employees and 0 sales, which may indicate that they are newly registered or not actively operating.

Industry Geography

Distribution of Activity in the Municipality:

• Sarpsborg (main town): 4 companies, 23 employees, NOK 3.7M in sales
• Yven: 2 companies (Kokkeglede As), 0 employees, NOK 0 in sales
• Greåker: 1 company (Lores Porselen), 0 employees, NOK 0 in sales
• Borgenhaugen: 1 company (Nøkleby Syvertsen), 0 employees, NOK 0 in sales

Mapping:

• 75% of activity is concentrated in Sarpsborg, with scattered companies in Yven, Greåker, and Borgenhaugen.
• There is no clear geographic concentration outside the main town.
• Companies in Yven and Greåker have no operating results, which may indicate that they are in the start-up phase or not actively operating.

Industry Dynamics

Bankruptcy Statistics:

• No registered bankruptcies in the industry in Sarpsborg (2016–2025).
• No bankruptcy documentation for any of the 8 companies.

Operating Results:

• As Christiania Glasmagasin Avd Borg is the only company with an operating result (NOK -478.1K in 2025).
• 6 companies have 0 sales and 0 employees, which may indicate that they are newly registered or not actively operating.

Conclusion: The industry has been in continuous decline, but there are no bankruptcies. This may indicate that companies have been able to avoid bankruptcy through operational adjustments or support from owners.

Outlook for Entrepreneurs

Critical Challenges:

• Negative EBITDA margin of -10% (2025) indicates that the industry has been in loss continuously.
• Falling sales with -34.5% since 2016 and -25.6% from 2024 to 2025.
• Falling number of employees with 57% since 2016, with an extreme decline of -26.3% from 2023 to 2024.

Potential Opportunities:

• Stable market with 8 companies in the municipality, which may provide opportunities for collaboration or consolidation.
• Low bankruptcy risk in the industry, which may be an advantage for new companies.
• Low competition in the industry, with 8 companies in total.

Recommendation: Entrepreneurs should consider focusing on efficiency improvements, cost reduction, and potential consolidation of companies to improve the EBITDA margin and stabilize the operating result.

Conference Center Sector in Sarpsborg:

• 81 companies in total (2025), compared to 8 companies in the Chinese/glassware store sector.
• Sales of NOK 655.9M (2025), compared to NOK 15.0M in the Chinese/glassware store sector.
• Number of employees at 374 (2025), compared to 24 employees in the Chinese/glassware store sector.

Peer Companies in the Conference Center Sector:

Conclusion: The conference center sector has been much larger and more stable than the Chinese/glassware store sector. This may provide entrepreneurs with opportunities to leverage infrastructure and experience from the conference center sector to improve the likelihood of survival in the Chinese/glassware store sector.

Conclusion

The Chinese/glassware store sector in Sarpsborg faces significant challenges with continuous decline in sales, employees, and operating results. Although no bankruptcies have been registered, the figures indicate a highly unstable economic situation. Entrepreneurs should consider focusing on efficiency improvements, cost reduction, and potential consolidation of companies to improve the EBITDA margin and stabilize the operating result. At the same time, it may be profitable to leverage infrastructure and experience from the conference center sector to improve the likelihood of survival in the Chinese/glassware store sector.

SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Sarpsborg for the Chinese/glassware store sector where natural development is likely.