Sushi restaurants in Bodø: An industry in transition

Sushi restaurants in Bodø: An industry in transition

The sushi restaurant industry in Bodø is a small but dynamic sector with 3 registered companies. In recent years, the industry has experienced both growth and challenges, with a sharp decline in sales and operating profit after 2022. Although there are few companies, data shows that the sector has a unique structure with a mix of positive and negative economic indicators. For entrepreneurs, it is important to assess both the opportunities and risks in this market segment.

Economic Overview: Greater fluctuations than expected

Sales and employee development:

• Sales: The industry reached a peak in 2022 with NOK 29.5 million, but fell sharply to NOK 1.8 million in 2024 (a 97.3% decline from 2022). This decline is one of the most dramatic in the data.
• Employees: The number of employees grew from 0 in 2016 to 47 in 2022, but has since fallen to 35 in 2026. The steepest decline was between 2022 and 2023 (-10.6%).

Economic indicators:

• The EBITDA margin for the industry was -175% in 2023, indicating significant losses in operations.
• The two AS companies in the industry report negative operating profits, while one company has a positive operating profit (Sushi Point Bodø As) with NOK 325,000 EBITDA.

Conclusion: The industry has been marked by large fluctuations, with a sharp decline after 2022 that may be due to external factors such as economic crises or competitiveness.

Companies in the industry: A mix of structures and economic status

Registered companies:

1. Tiger Sushi Bar Bodø As (Sandgata 5B, Bodø)

• Founded: 2023-02-17
• Number of employees: 32
• Economic status: Not bankrupt, but no sales data reported

1. Ra Men Bodø As (Sandgata 5B, Bodø)

• Founded: 2020-08-24
• Number of employees: 8
• Economic status: EBITDA -634,000 NOK, operating profit -640,000 NOK

• Founded: 2016-11-01
• Number of employees: 0
• Economic status: EBITDA 325,000 NOK, operating profit 325,000 NOK

Organizational forms:

• All companies are ASs, indicating a standardized structure in the industry.
• Sushi Point Bodø As has a unique economic status with a positive operating profit, while the other two companies report losses.

Business Geography: Activity in a central location

Location-specific data:

• Bodø: The only location with activity in the industry
• Number of companies: 1
• Number of employees: 40
• Operating income: NOK 362,000
• Sales: NOK 362,000
• Wages: NOK 487,000
• Operating profit: NOK -640,000
• EBITDA: NOK -634,000
• Gross profit: NOK 211,000
• Equity: NOK -452,000
• Debt: NOK 1.3 million

Conclusion: Activity is concentrated in a central part of Bodø, but with a very unfavorable economic profile for most companies.

Business Dynamics: Stable companies, but with challenges

Bankruptcies and economic challenges:

• No bankruptcies are registered in the industry, indicating that companies have managed to stay afloat.
• However, data shows that two of the three companies have negative operating profits, which may indicate economic challenges.

EBITDA margins:

• Sushi Point Bodø As has an EBITDA margin of 60%, which is very positive.
• Ra Men Bodø As has an EBITDA margin of -175%, indicating significant losses.

Conclusion: Although there are no bankruptcies, there are large variations in economic health between companies. This may indicate that some companies have better strategies or customer bases than others.

Outlook for Entrepreneurs: A challenging, but potentially profitable industry

Short-term challenges:

• The sharp decline in sales (from NOK 29.5 million in 2022 to NOK 1.8 million in 2024) shows that the industry is marked by large fluctuations.
• The two companies with negative operating profits may indicate challenges in maintaining profitability.

Long-term opportunities:

• Sushi Point Bodø As has shown that it is possible to achieve positive results, even though there are few companies in the industry.
• It may be possible for a new company to find a place in the market, especially if they can adapt to customers and competition.

Recommendation: Entrepreneurs should consider conducting thorough market analysis and be prepared to handle economic fluctuations. It may be beneficial to look at how Sushi Point Bodø As has managed to achieve positive results.

Outlook for the restaurant industry in Bodø: A more stable sector

Economic comparison:

• Number of companies: 102 companies in the restaurant/café sector, compared to 3 in the sushi industry.
• Sales: The restaurant industry had an increase from NOK 314.7 million in 2016 to NOK 560.9 million in 2023, before a decline to NOK 493.3 million in 2025.
• Employees: The number of employees grew from 1,137 in 2016 to 1,076 in 2022, before a decline to 991 in 2026.

Peer analysis:

• Select Service Partner As Avd Bodø Lufthavn: NOK 75.4 million in sales, NOK 6.7 million in EBITDA, 74 employees.
• Restaurant Arkaden As: NOK 36.8 million in sales, NOK 5.4 million in EBITDA, 36 employees.
• McDonald's City Nord Bodø: NOK 50.5 million in sales, NOK 5.4 million in EBITDA, 62 employees.

Conclusion: The restaurant industry in Bodø is more stable and larger than the sushi industry, with more companies and better economic results. This may be an important factor for entrepreneurs considering starting a company in this sector.

Conclusion: A challenging, but potentially profitable industry

The sushi restaurant industry in Bodø is a small but dynamic industry with both opportunities and challenges. In recent years, the industry has experienced large fluctuations, with a sharp decline in sales and operating profit after 2022. Although there are few companies, data shows that the industry has a unique structure with a mix of positive and negative economic indicators. For entrepreneurs, it is important to assess both the opportunities and risks in this market segment. It may be beneficial to look at how Sushi Point Bodø As has managed to achieve positive results, even though there are few companies in the industry. SmartGrunder can help entrepreneurs find suitable locations and strategies to achieve profitability in this industry.