The Restaurant Industry in Molde: Current Status and Future Prospects

The restaurant industry in Molde is an important part of the local economy with 35 registered companies. In 2025, the industry had a total sales volume of NOK 169.4 million and 339 employees. The most prominent companies are AS companies such as Egon Restaurant Molde, Glass Restaurant As, and Køl Molde As, which have higher revenues and wage costs compared to smaller companies. The industry shows a mix of stable businesses and companies with challenges, such as Digg Pizza Molde and Macé Cafe As, which have zero sales and income. The AS company structure dominates with 21 companies, while the ENK structure is less represented with one company. The industry has relatively stable development, but with variations in wage costs and EBITDA margins.

The industry has experienced variations in sales and number of employees over time. Sales reached its highest level in 2023 with NOK 173.1 million, but fell to NOK 169.4 million in 2025. The number of employees increased from 2022 to 2024, but decreased back in 2025. The table below shows year-over-year changes:

Sales increased by +33.3% from 2017 to 2018, but fell by -4.5% from 2024 to 2025. The number of employees increased by +11.1% from 2023 to 2024, but fell by -10.0% from 2024 to 2025. The industry has an average EBITDA margin of 10%, with variations between companies.

In Molde, there are 35 registered companies in the restaurant industry, with 16 companies listed in the data. The most prominent companies include:

• Egon Restaurant Molde (Storgata 8): 43 employees, NOK 41.6M sales, NOK 4.4M EBITDA.
• Glass Restaurant As (Torget 1): 38 employees, NOK 28.6M sales, NOK 3.6M EBITDA.
• Køl Molde As (Torget 1): 19 employees, NOK 14.8M sales, NOK 890K EBITDA.
• Rød Bare Blå (Storgata 19): 20 employees, NOK 15.8M sales, NOK 6.4M EBITDA.
• Tandoori Guru As (Romsdalsgata 1): 20 employees, NOK 8.9M sales, NOK 392K EBITDA.

The AS company structure dominates with 21 companies, while the ENK structure is represented with one company (Express Pizza Og Grill Taha). The most stable companies have higher EBITDA margins, while some companies have negative or zero income, such as Digg Pizza Molde and Macé Cafe As.

The restaurant industry in Molde is most concentrated in the city center, with 19 companies and 338 employees in Molde. Other areas with activity include:

• Midsund: 1 company, 6 employees, NOK 2.7M sales, NOK -109K EBITDA.
• Eikesdal: 1 company, 4 employees, NOK 0 sales, NOK 0 EBITDA.
• Skåla: 1 company, 4 employees, NOK 1.9M sales, NOK 27K EBITDA.

Molde is the most central area with the highest number of companies and employees, while other areas have lower activity. There is a clear geographical concentration in the city center, with less activity in peripheral areas.

The industry has a mix of stable and unstable companies. Some companies have high EBITDA margins (such as Rød Bare Blå with 27%) and high sales volume, while others have negative or zero income (such as Digg Pizza Molde and Macé Cafe As). Bankruptcy security is relatively good, with no companies registered as bankrupt in the data. EBITDA margins vary from 0% (for some companies) to 27% (Rød Bare Blå). There is some variation in wage costs and operational income, but no serious bankruptcies are registered in the industry.

Outlook for Entrepreneurs

For entrepreneurs in the restaurant industry in Molde, there are both opportunities and challenges. The industry has relatively stable development, with an average EBITDA margin of 10% and an average sales volume of NOK 5.1M per company. However, there is a high bankruptcy risk for companies with low income and high wage costs. Entrepreneurs should focus on differentiation, cost control, and marketing to ensure profitability. Molde has a good infrastructure and tourist-friendly areas, which can be an advantage for new companies. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find optimal addresses in Molde for restaurant operations.

Outlook for the Overarching Industry (Restaurant / Café)

The overarching industry (restaurant / café) in Molde has 45 companies, with 453 employees and NOK 184.5M sales in 2025. This is a broader category than the restaurant industry, which includes cafes, coffee bars, and takeaway companies. The overarching industry has a higher sales volume (NOK 184.5M) compared to the restaurant industry (NOK 169.4M), but lower EBITDA margins. Peer companies in the overarching industry include:

• Select Service Partner As Avd Molde Lufthavn Årø (Strande): NOK 10.8M sales, NOK 954.2K EBITDA.
• Espresso House Norge As Avd Molde Sentrum 863 (Torget 1): NOK 5.1M sales, NOK 256.7K EBITDA.
• Jordbærpikene Roseby As (Lingedalsvegen 6): NOK 0 sales, NOK 0 EBITDA.

The overarching industry has a more variable structure, with both stable and unstable companies, while the restaurant industry has a more focused structure with higher EBITDA margins.

The restaurant industry in Molde is an important part of the local economy with 35 companies, 339 employees, and NOK 169.4M sales in 2025. The industry has relatively stable development, but with variations in wage costs and EBITDA margins. There are opportunities for entrepreneurs, but there are also challenges related to bankruptcy risk and high bankruptcy risk for companies with low income. The overarching industry (restaurant / café) has a higher sales volume, but lower EBITDA margins. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find optimal addresses in Molde for restaurant operations.