The Restaurant Industry in Vestby: Outlook, Companies, and Market Data

Vestby has an active restaurant sector with 25 registered companies, 16 of which are listed in the municipality. The industry has been marked by variations in sales and employees over time, with a significant decline in 2022 and 2024. The most prominent companies include Son Drift As (operating income 13.1M NOK) and Hagestua As (EBITDA margin 20%). There are no registered bankruptcies in the industry, but some companies report negative operating results. Vestby has a smaller, but more concentrated restaurant industry compared to the broader restaurant / café category, which includes 42 companies in the municipality.

Sales and employee development (2016–2025):

The industry has experienced a sharp decline in sales from 2020 to 2022, with a decline of 48%. Employee numbers have been more stable, but with a significant reduction in 2024. The most stable period was 2016–2017, while 2022–2024 marked a critical phase for the industry.

Registered companies (16 listed):

• Son Drift As (Storgata 27, Son): 30 employees, operating income 13.1M NOK, EBITDA margin 22%.
• Hagestua As (Storgata 17, Son): 14 employees, sales 7.0M NOK, EBITDA margin 20%.
• Villa Bakeriene Vestby As (Senterveien 6, Vestby): 8 employees, sales 4.7M NOK, EBITDA margin 2%.
• Brå Stopp As (Kirkeveien 12, Vestby): 0 employees, sales 45,000 NOK, EBITDA margin 17%.

Organizational forms:

• AS (11 companies): Dominates with higher operating income (33.2M NOK) and EBITDA margin (12%).
• ENK (1 company): Vestby Sushi & Wok Nguyen has 3 employees, but no operating result.

Distribution of activity in the municipality:

Son is the most active area with 8 companies and higher sales (27.6M NOK) compared to Vestby. Vestby, however, has companies with lower operating results, such as Villa Bakeriene Vestby As (operating income -139,000 NOK).

Bankruptcy and operating results:

• No registered bankruptcies in the restaurant industry in Vestby.
• Negative operating results are reported by some companies:
• Villa Bakeriene Vestby As (operating income -139,000 NOK, EBITDA 118,000 NOK).
• Son Bryggerhus Drift As (operating income -541,000 NOK, EBITDA -312,000 NOK).

Positive: No bankruptcies, but variations in operating results indicate a need for increased efficiency and cost management.

Critical challenges:

• Decline in sales and employees (2022–2024) indicates a highly competitive market.
• Low EBITDA margin (average 14%) and high operating costs.

Opportunities:

• Son is a more profitable area with higher sales and more companies.
• New companies can focus on differentiation (e.g., specialized cafés or organic restaurants) to stand out.

SmartGrunder can help founders find optimal localization in Vestby based on market outlook and operational data.

Comparison with parent category:

• Total of 42 companies in the restaurant / café category in Vestby, compared to 25 in restaurants.
• Sales in the parent category (2025): 34.8M NOK, while restaurants have 19.7M NOK.
• EBITDA margins are lower in restaurants (14%) compared to the parent category (not provided).

Peer companies in the parent category:

• Son Sushi As (sales 4.8M NOK, EBITDA 363,000 NOK).
• Hølen Kafè As (sales 3.9M NOK, EBITDA 211,000 NOK).
• Burger King Avd 5046 Vestby (sales 0 NOK, EBITDA 0 NOK).

Conclusion: The parent category has greater volume, but restaurants must compete with both cafés and burger restaurants.

Vestby has an active, but challenging restaurant industry with variations in operating results and market development. Son is the most profitable area, while Vestby has companies with lower operating results. Founders should consider differentiation and efficiency to compete in a market environment with low EBITDA margins. The broader restaurant / café category shows that Vestby has a more diversified industry, which can provide opportunities for collaboration or specialization.