The Restaurant Industry in Lom: Current Situation and Future Opportunities

The restaurant industry in Lom has shown both strengths and challenges in recent years. In 2025, there are 3 companies registered in the industry, with a total wage cost of NOK 9.9 million and combined sales revenue of NOK 20.4 million. The three main companies are Nye Brimi Bue As, Milano Lom As, and Kræmarhuset As, which together employ 46 people. The industry experienced strong growth from 2016 to 2021, but has since experienced a decline in 2022 followed by a gradual recovery. The EBITDA margin stands at 3%, indicating a moderate profit margin.

Sales Development (2016–2025):

• 2016: NOK 3.3 million
• 2021: NOK 17.3 million (highest sales)
• 2025: NOK 13.9 million

Employees (2016–2026):

• 2016: 4 employees
• 2022: 51 employees (highest)
• 2026: 42 employees

Key Trends:

• Sales grew by 103.1% from 2016 to 2017, but fell by 37.5% from 2021 to 2022.
• Employees increased by 200% from 2016 to 2017, but decreased by 30% from 2022 to 2023.
• The EBITDA margin has varied between 0% and 13%, with an average margin of 3%.

Organizational Forms:

• All companies in the industry are registered as AS (Limited Company), indicating a certain level of formal structure and capitalization.

Registered Companies in Lom (2025):

Key Observations:

• Milano Lom As has an EBITDA margin of 13%, which is double the industry average.
• Kræmarhuset As has an extremely high income per employee (NOK 640,000), even though it has no employees.
• Nye Brimi Bue As has a negative EBITDA, but a high sales volume of NOK 14.1 million.

Distribution of Activities in the Municipality:

• Lom (main town): 3 companies, 46 employees, NOK 20.4 million in sales

Key Observations:

• All companies in the industry are located in Lom, indicating a concentration of the restaurant industry in the municipality's main town.
• No activity is registered in other parts of the municipality or smaller towns.
• This may be an advantage for new entrants looking to leverage existing infrastructure and customer bases in Lom.

Bankruptcies and Operational Challenges:

• No bankruptcies registered among companies in the industry in Lom.
• Nye Brimi Bue As has a negative EBITDA (NOK -92K), but is still in operation.
• Kræmarhuset As has no employees, but a high income per employee (NOK 640,000), which may indicate specialized or unique offerings.

Operational Outlook:

• Milano Lom As has shown strong sales growth of 16% and a high EBITDA margin of 13%.
• Nye Brimi Bue As has a lower EBITDA margin (0%), but a high sales volume.
• Kræmarhuset As has an extremely high income per employee, even though it has no employees.

Outlook for Entrepreneurs

Opportunities and Challenges:

• Rising Sales: After a decline in 2022, sales grew by 19.1% from 2023 to 2024 and 17.8% from 2022 to 2023.
• Stable Number of Employees: The number of employees has varied between 28 and 51, with an average of 39 employees.
• Diversified Company Structure: There are three companies with different operational models, which may provide entrepreneurs with opportunities to find a unique position in the market.
• High Bankruptcy-Free Status: No bankruptcies registered in the industry, indicating stable operations.

Recommendations for Entrepreneurs:

• Focus on high EBITDA margins (such as Milano Lom As's 13%).
• Develop unique offerings that can generate high income per employee (such as Kræmarhuset As's model).
• Develop operational models that can handle periodic sales declines (such as those experienced by Nye Brimi Bue As).

Outlook for Broader Industry (Restaurant/Café)

Comparison with Broader Industry:

• Number of Companies: Broader industry (restaurant/café) has 5 companies, while the restaurant industry has 3 companies.
• Sales: Broader industry has the same sales development as the restaurant industry, but with more companies.
• Employees: Broader industry has the same number of employees as the restaurant industry, but with more companies.

Peer Companies in Broader Industry:

Key Observations:

• Broader industry has more companies, but some of them have 0 sales and 0 EBITDA.
• This may indicate that the broader industry has a more diversified structure, but also more challenges.
• Entrepreneurs should consider focusing on companies with positive EBITDA and high sales in the broader industry.

The restaurant industry in Lom has shown both strengths and challenges in recent years. With 3 companies and total sales of NOK 20.4 million in 2025, the industry is relatively stable. Outlooks for entrepreneurs appear positive, with a sales increase after 2022 and high bankruptcy-free status. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Lom for the restaurant industry, focusing on locations with high growth and stability potential.