The Restaurant Industry in Vestre Toten: Current Status and Future Outlook

The restaurant industry in Vestre Toten has shown a mix of stability and variation over the past few years. There are 16 companies registered in the municipality, with Raufoss as the main area. In 2025, the industry had 76 employees, an increase from 69 in 2024. Sales have grown slightly, from NOK 22.5 million in 2024 to NOK 22.5 million in 2025. Raufoss dominates with 7 companies and 47 employees, while Bøverbru has 2 companies with 15 employees. The industry has a relatively low share of bankrupt companies, indicating a stable industry structure.

Economic data shows that the restaurant industry in Vestre Toten has had an uneven development. Sales declined by 26% from 2016 to 2017, but have since stabilized with a weak increase of 0.1% from 2024 to 2025. The number of employees has varied between 52 and 80 over the years, with an increase of 10.1% from 2025 to 2026. EBITDA margins are at 3% for Raufoss and 0% for Bøverbru, showing that some companies have negative results. The industry has an average gross margin of 67%, indicating good cost control in the most profitable companies.

In Vestre Toten, the restaurant industry is represented by 16 companies, mainly AS companies (9 companies). The key companies include:

• Morten's As (Storgata 49, Raufoss): 11 employees, NOK 5.4 million in operating income, 2% EBITDA margin.
• Verona Raufoss As (Storgata 34, Raufoss): 7 employees, NOK 6.0 million in sales, 5% EBITDA margin.
• San Marino Pizza Raufoss As (Storgata 48, Raufoss): 5 employees, NOK 2.5 million in sales, 8% EBITDA margin.

New companies such as Ambrosia Mat As (2024) and Ditlevines Utsikt (2025) show growth in the number of companies. The corporate form AS dominates, with 9 companies, while there are also ENK and ANS companies. None of the companies are bankrupt, indicating a stable industry structure.

Raufoss is the main area for the restaurant industry in Vestre Toten, with 7 companies and 47 employees. The key companies here are Morten's As, Verona Raufoss As, and San Marino Pizza Raufoss As. Bøverbru has 2 companies, but with lower sales and operating income. Raufoss has a higher average sales per employee (NOK 483,000) compared to Bøverbru (NOK 0). Raufoss also has higher operating income (NOK 22.8 million) and better EBITDA margins (3%) compared to Bøverbru (0%).

The industry has shown relatively stable development with few bankrupt companies. In 2025, none of the 16 companies went bankrupt, indicating good financial health in the industry. However, data shows that some companies have negative EBITDA, such as Rb Drift As (NOK -267,000) and Godbiten Raufoss As (NOK -4,000). This may indicate challenges for certain companies, especially in Bøverbru where all companies have zero sales and operating income. The industry has an average EBITDA margin of 3%, which is lower than the national average for the restaurant industry.

For entrepreneurs in Vestre Toten, the restaurant industry can offer both opportunities and challenges. The weak sales growth (0.1% from 2024 to 2025) and negative EBITDA values at some companies indicate that competition is strong, and that focusing on effective cost management is important. Raufoss is a prominent place to start a restaurant, with 47 employees and higher sales than Bøverbru. However, entrepreneurs should be aware of the financial challenges, such as the negative EBITDA at Rb Drift As and Godbiten Raufoss As. It may be profitable to focus on specialized segments such as pizza or Asian food, which are represented by several companies in Raufoss.

Compared to the broader category restaurant / café in Vestre Toten, which has 27 companies, the restaurant industry (16 companies) shows weaker development. The broader category had a sales growth of 1.1% from 2023 to 2024, while the restaurant industry had a weak increase of 0.1%. In the broader category, there are also more companies with higher sales, such as Raufoss Pizza As (NOK 8.7 million) and Fire Smaker Cafe/restaurant As (NOK 0). This shows that cafes and takeaway restaurants have a larger market share in Vestre Toten. Entrepreneurs should therefore consider expanding to cafes or takeaway solutions to compete better in the broader category.

The restaurant industry in Vestre Toten shows a mix of stability and variation. Raufoss is a prominent place to start a restaurant, with higher sales and more companies than Bøverbru. However, entrepreneurs should be aware of the financial challenges, such as the negative EBITDA at some companies. The broader category restaurant / café has better development, and entrepreneurs should consider expanding to cafes or takeaway solutions to compete better. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable addresses in Vestre Toten for the restaurant industry, with a focus on areas with high purchasing power and good accessibility.