The Restaurant Industry in Vefsn: Current Status and Future Outlook

Overview of the Restaurant Industry in Vefsn

The restaurant industry in Vefsn is an important part of the local economy, with 12 registered companies in the municipality. In recent years, the industry has been marked by variations in sales and number of employees, with a significant decline in 2023 followed by a mild increase in 2025. The industry is concentrated in Mosjøen, and the organizational form AS dominates with six companies. The broader category restaurant / café in the municipality has 20 companies, showing that the restaurant industry is part of a larger sector with different dynamics.

Sales and Employees in the Restaurant Industry in Vefsn (2016–2026):

Sales have been on a decline since 2016, with a significant drop of 33.7% in 2023. There has been a mild increase in 2025, but there is still a clear decline compared to 2016. The number of employees has been more variable, with a low point in 2021 and an increase in 2023 followed by a decline in 2024.

In Vefsn, there are 12 companies registered in the restaurant industry. The key companies include:

• Barthbryggo As (Fustvassvegen 413, Mosjøen): 32 employees, established 2023.
• Kulturverkstedet As (Sjøgata 22, Mosjøen): 31 employees, established 2012.
• Lokaln As (Sjøgata 31, Mosjøen): 19 employees, established 2012.
• Pebå As (Campingvegen 1, Mosjøen): 7 employees, established 2013.

Most companies are organized as AS, with six companies and 108 employees. The most interesting financial data include Lokaln As, which had an EBITDA margin of 10% in 2024 and a sales growth of 51% in the same year.

All 12 companies in the restaurant industry in Vefsn are registered in Mosjøen. There is no activity in other parts of the municipality. Mosjøen has the following key figures:

• Number of companies: 6
• Number of employees: 108
• Sales: 13.9M NOK
• EBITDA: 605.0K NOK
• Gross margin: 72%

There is no data on activity in other parts of the municipality, showing that Mosjøen is the only center for the restaurant industry in Vefsn.

There are no bankruptcy registrations in the restaurant industry in Vefsn in recent years. However, there are several companies with zero sales or zero operating income, such as:

• Barthbryggo As (established 2023)
• Umami Mosjøen As (established 2021)
• Sjøsiden Spiseri As (established 2024)

This may indicate that some companies are in the start-up phase or have encountered challenges. However, there is no public bankruptcy data indicating major operational problems in the industry.

For entrepreneurs in the restaurant industry in Vefsn, the following points are important to note:

1. The sales decline in 2023 (33.7%) has been a challenge, but there is a mild increase in 2025 (13.6%), which may indicate a gradual recovery process.
2. The concentration in Mosjøen offers opportunities to leverage existing infrastructure and customer bases, but also competition from existing companies.
3. Lokaln As has shown that it is possible to achieve high EBITDA margins (10%) and significant sales growth (51%) in certain years, which can be an inspiration for new companies.

SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations in Mosjøen and analyze market prospects for new restaurant projects.

The broader category restaurant / café in Vefsn has 20 companies, showing that the restaurant industry is part of a larger sector with different dynamics. Compared to the restaurant industry:

• Sales: The broader category had sales of 39.3M NOK in 2016, while the restaurant industry had 25.0M NOK. In 2025, the broader category had sales of 15.2M NOK, while the restaurant industry had 13.7M NOK.
• Number of employees: The broader category had 178 employees in 2016, while the restaurant industry had 129 employees. In 2026, the broader category had 155 employees, while the restaurant industry had 97 employees.

Peer companies in the broader category (not in the restaurant industry):

The broader category has a more stable development, but the restaurant industry has a lower number of companies and employees compared to the broader category.

The restaurant industry in Vefsn has been marked by variations in sales and number of employees, with a significant decline in 2023 followed by a mild increase in 2025. The industry is concentrated in Mosjøen, and the organizational form AS dominates. The broader category restaurant / café has a more stable development, but the restaurant industry has a lower number of companies and employees compared to the broader category. For entrepreneurs, it is important to note the opportunities available in Mosjøen, as well as the challenges that come with the concentrated structure. SmartGrunder can help find suitable locations and analyze market prospects for new restaurant projects.