The Restaurant Industry in Dønna: Current Status and Future Prospects

The restaurant industry in Dønna is a small but dynamic sector with three registered companies. In recent years, the industry has shown both strong growth and challenges, with stabilization in sales and employment after a period of fluctuations. Dønna has a unique geographical location in Nordland, which can be advantageous for restaurants attracting tourists and local customers. The industry has also shown variations in organizational forms, with both AS and ENK entities. In this analysis, we will take a closer look at economic trends, company profiles, geographical distribution, and future perspectives for the restaurant industry in Dønna.

According to annual statistics for the restaurant industry in Dønna, the sales volume showed a significant increase from 2020 to 2021, with a rise of 121.0%. This was followed by a decline of 19.5% in 2021–2022, before stabilizing in 2022–2023 and 2023–2024. The sales volume has now reached a level of approximately 1.9 million NOK in 2024 and 2025. Regarding the number of employees, the industry experienced a significant increase from 2020 to 2022, from 5 to 15 employees, followed by a decline to 6 employees in 2023 and 4 employees in 2024. There is a slight increase in 2025, to 5 employees, and an expected rise to 7 employees in 2026. This shows that the industry has experienced both growth and challenges, but has now reached a more stable level.

In Dønna, there are three registered companies within the restaurant industry. These companies have the following profiles:

Heidis Sjokoladedrøm As is the largest company with 10 employees and high sales and EBITDA. Dønnesfjellstua As has lower sales and EBITDA, but is still in operation. Soul&pepper Marsalkova is a new company that has not yet registered any sales or EBITDA. The organizational form is mainly AS, with one ENK. There are no registered bankruptcies in the industry.

All three restaurant industry companies in Dønna are registered in Dønna City Center. There are no companies registered in other city districts or areas within the municipality. This shows that the restaurant industry in Dønna is concentrated in the city center, which can be an advantage for collaboration and access to tourist traffic. This can also be a challenge if there is a need to expand to other areas in the municipality.

The restaurant industry in Dønna has not registered any bankruptcies in recent years. This is a positive indicator of the industry's stability. However, the industry has shown variations in sales and number of employees, which may indicate uncertainty in the market. For example, Dønnesfjellstua As experienced a 44% sales decline from 2021 to 2022, while Heidis Sjokoladedrøm As had a 19% increase during the same period. This shows that some companies have been more resilient than others. There is also a significant difference in EBITDA margins, with 14% for Heidis Sjokoladedrøm As compared to 1% for Dønnesfjellstua As.

For entrepreneurs considering starting a restaurant in Dønna, the data show that the industry has shown signs of stabilization after a period of fluctuations. The sales volume has now reached a level of approximately 1.9 million NOK, and there is an expected increase in the number of employees in 2026. This can be a good indicator that there are opportunities for growth in the industry. However, it is important to be aware of the variations that have been present and to be prepared for challenges that may arise. It may also be beneficial to look at existing companies and their strategies to determine what could work in Dønna.

When comparing the restaurant industry in Dønna with the broader restaurant/café category, the data show that the broader category has more companies (5) than the restaurant industry (3). This suggests that there are opportunities to expand within the café and restaurant sector in Dønna. In the broader category, the sales volume has shown a similar development to the restaurant industry, with an increase from 2020 to 2021 and a decline in 2021–2022. However, the broader category has shown a slightly more stable development in recent years. There is also a list of companies in the broader category that are not registered in the restaurant industry, such as Aasviks Lille Kro, which has 0 employees and 0 sales. This may indicate that there are challenges in the broader category, but also opportunities for new companies wishing to establish themselves in Dønna.

The restaurant industry in Dønna has shown signs of stabilization after a period of fluctuations in sales and number of employees. There are opportunities for growth in the industry, especially with an expected increase in the number of employees in 2026. However, it is important to be aware of the variations that have been present and to be prepared for challenges that may arise. It may also be beneficial to look at existing companies and their strategies to determine what could work in Dønna. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find out which addresses could be most profitable for a new restaurant in Dønna.