The Restaurant Industry in Kragerø: Current Status and Future Prospects

Kragerø has an active restaurant industry with 30 registered companies, although only 16 of these are documented in detail. The industry has been marked by variations in sales and employees over time, with a decline in sales from 2018 to 2025. At the same time, the number of employees has shown a more stable trend after 2022. A single bankruptcy case (Campino Sannidal As) shows that the industry is not without challenges, but there are no indications of systematic crises. The broader category 'restaurant / café' has a better economic development, which could provide opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Sales for the restaurant industry in Kragerø have varied strongly over time. The highest level was achieved in 2018 with NOK 70.1 million, but has since fallen to NOK 39.1 million in 2025. The number of employees has been more stable, with a decline from 213 in 2016 to 150 in 2025, before an increase to 162 in 2026. EBITDA margins have been negative for several years, with an average margin of -4% in 2025. This shows that many companies in the industry have had challenges generating profit.

In Kragerø, the most represented organizational form is AS, with 15 companies. Among the documented companies, we find both older businesses such as Tasty Kragerø As (founded 1985) and new companies such as Nordraak Kragerø As (founded 2025). Some companies have been affected by negative results, such as Stopp En Halv As (EBITDA -217.0K) and Onkel Oskar As (EBITDA -261.0K). On the other hand, Stavelin Kragerø Sentrum As and Tasty Kragerø As have shown positive development with EBITDA of 491.0K and 491.0K respectively.

Kragerø has a clear geographical distribution of restaurant operations. Kragerø town has 14 companies and 195 employees, with total sales of NOK 24.6 million. Sannidal has only one company (Stavelin Bakeriutsalg Kragerø As), but this has a higher EBITDA margin of 3% compared to Kragerø's -4%. Sannidal's only company also has a higher sales per employee (NOK 635.4K) than Kragerø's NOK 341.2K.

The industry has been marked by some bankruptcy cases, but there are no indications of systematic problems. Campino Sannidal As is the only documented bankruptcy case, although this company had an EBITDA of NOK 761.0K. Several companies have negative EBITDA, but there are no clear patterns in which companies are most vulnerable. There are no indications that bankruptcies have affected other companies in the industry in a systematic way.

For entrepreneurs in Kragerø, the industry can provide both opportunities and challenges. The negative EBITDA margin in 2025 (-4%) shows that it can be challenging to achieve profit. On the other hand, Sannidal's only company's positive EBITDA (3%) shows that it is possible to achieve profitability in parts of the municipality. The broader category 'restaurant / café' has a better economic development, which can provide opportunities for entrepreneurs seeking to establish themselves in a more stable market segment.

The broader category 'restaurant / café' has a better economic development than the individual restaurant industry. Sales for this category have been more stable, with an increase from NOK 62.7 million in 2016 to NOK 73.9 million in 2025. The number of employees has also been more stable, with an increase from 250 in 2016 to 256 in 2026. Among the main competitors in this category, we find As El Paso (café, NOK 15.1M sales) and Buchholm Cafe As (café, NOK 5.7M sales). These companies have higher EBITDA than many companies in the individual restaurant industry.

Kragerø's restaurant industry has both strengths and challenges. With 30 companies and a geographical variation in the operations, the municipality can offer entrepreneurs opportunities to establish themselves in a competitive market segment. The negative EBITDA margin in 2025 shows, however, that it can be challenging to achieve profitability. The broader category 'restaurant / café' has a better economic development, which can provide opportunities for entrepreneurs seeking to establish themselves in a more stable market segment. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find optimal addresses in Kragerø for restaurant operations.