The Restaurant Industry in Ålesund: Current Status and Future Prospects

Ålesund has a flourishing restaurant industry with 82 registered companies in the municipality. The industry has shown variation in sales and number of employees over time, with a decline of 23.6% in sales in 2025 compared to 2024. Nevertheless, there are several positive trends, such as an increase in the number of employees in 2026 compared to 2025. There is also a single bankruptcy case in the industry, which should be considered in relation to operational risk. The industry is most active in Ålesund City Center, with less activity in areas such as Ørskog, Tennfjord, and Ellingsøy. There is also a mix of organizational forms, with AS being the most common form. For entrepreneurs, it may be possible to find opportunities in this industry, especially considering the positive trends in sales and number of employees.

In 2025, the restaurant industry in Ålesund had total sales of NOK 240.4 million, representing a decline of 23.6% compared to 2024. The number of employees increased by 0.4% in 2026 compared to 2025. There is a clear variation in sales over time, with an increase of 16.6% in 2022 and a decline of 12.0% in 2020. There is also a variation in the number of employees, with an increase of 8.5% in 2022 and a decline of 14.2% in 2020. These trends show that the industry has been affected by various factors over time, including the pandemic and economic fluctuations.

There are 82 registered companies in the restaurant industry in Ålesund. Some of the most well-known companies include Øyavind As, Bro Restaurant, Nonna Lina As, Soi One Ålesund As, Dampsentralen As, Stuen As, Fabrikken Kulturscene As, Liv & Røre, J&w Servering As, Møre Restaurant & Pub As, Moanor As, Skateflua As, Vinje Restaurantdrift As, Fisketorget Delikatesse As, Vest Restaurant As, and Emma Otterlei. These companies have various organizational forms, with AS being the most common form. There is also a single ENK and Fli form, but these are less common. There is also a single bankruptcy case in the industry, which should be considered in relation to operational risk.

The restaurant industry in Ålesund is most active in Ålesund City Center, with 47 companies and 812 employees. Ørskog has 1 company and 21 employees, Tennfjord has 1 company and 11 employees, and Ellingsøy has 1 company and 4 employees. There is a clear difference in activity between these areas, with Ålesund City Center being the most active. There is also a variation in sales and operating results between these areas, with Ålesund City Center being the most profitable.

There is a single bankruptcy case in the restaurant industry in Ålesund, with 1 company in bankruptcy. This company had sales of NOK 6.6 million and an operating result of NOK 481,000. There is also a variation in EBITDA margins, with a margin of 7% for this company. There is also a variation in operating results, with a margin of 2% for Ålesund City Center and a margin of 5% for Ørskog. There is also a variation in labor costs, with a margin of NOK 2.5 million for Ålesund City Center and a margin of NOK 1.8 million for Ørskog.

For entrepreneurs, it may be possible to find opportunities in the restaurant industry in Ålesund, especially considering the positive trends in sales and number of employees. There is also a mix of organizational forms, with AS being the most common form. There is also a variation in EBITDA margins, with a margin of 7% for Ålesund City Center and a margin of 5% for Ørskog. There is also a variation in operating results, with a margin of 2% for Ålesund City Center and a margin of 5% for Ørskog. There is also a variation in labor costs, with a margin of NOK 2.5 million for Ålesund City Center and a margin of NOK 1.8 million for Ørskog. There is also a single bankruptcy case in the industry, which should be considered in relation to operational risk.

Compared to the broader category of restaurant/café in Ålesund, which has 106 companies, the restaurant industry in Ålesund has 82 companies. There is a clear difference in sales and number of employees between these two categories. The broader category had sales of NOK 353.6 million in 2025, representing a decline of 17.5% compared to 2024. There is also a variation in the number of employees, with a decline of 3.6% in 2025 compared to 2024. There is also a variation in EBITDA margins, with a margin of 7% for the restaurant industry in Ålesund and a margin of 5% for the broader category. There is also a variation in operating results, with a margin of 2% for the restaurant industry in Ålesund and a margin of 5% for the broader category. There is also a variation in labor costs, with a margin of NOK 2.5 million for the restaurant industry in Ålesund and a margin of NOK 1.8 million for the broader category.

The restaurant industry in Ålesund has shown variation in sales and number of employees over time, but there are also opportunities for entrepreneurs. There is a mix of organizational forms, with AS being the most common form. There is also a variation in EBITDA margins, with a margin of 7% for Ålesund City Center and a margin of 5% for Ørskog. There is also a variation in operating results, with a margin of 2% for Ålesund City Center and a margin of 5% for Ørskog. There is also a variation in labor costs, with a margin of NOK 2.5 million for Ålesund City Center and a margin of NOK 1.8 million for Ørskog. There is also a single bankruptcy case in the industry, which should be considered in relation to operational risk. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find potential addresses in Ålesund for this industry, especially considering the positive trends in sales and number of employees.