The COVID-19 pandemic has not just created issues like global panic and stockpiling, but it has also acted as a reason behind the shifting consumer behaviour and changing product demand. People are now more focused on online shopping because it helps them stay home and stay safe during these critical times.

In the last few years, the online grocery industry had experienced growth across the globe but at a slower pace. Now, COVID-19 has triggered this growth that has further opened many doors for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Related: The impact of Coronavirus on the grocery industry

Nordic countries like Norway, where economic growth is good and purchasing power is high, the online grocery business seems a great idea. According to a survey conducted by Statista, the people aged between 35 to 44 were the most active online buyers of groceries in 2019 in the country.

Consumer Behavior in Norway

Almost 3.2 out of 4.95 million Norwegians love to shop online and this number is increasing day by day. This increase is a clear indication that online grocery has a great potential to grow in the near future.

Another key reason behind the growth of e-groceries is the high internet usage by the Norwegians. 

Key Grocery Players in Norway

There are several grocery retailers in Norway who also provide the online grocery shopping facilities but, let’s take a look at the key players!

Norges Gruppen

Norges Gruppen is a Norwegian grocery wholesale group that also runs various supermarkets like Kiwi, Meny, Jacob’s, Spar, Eurospar, Joker and Nærbutikken, the kiosks Deli de Luca and MIX, the Dolly Dimple’s restaurants as well as the wholesaler ASKO.

The company has 1800+ grocery stores having roughly 43% share in the Norwegian grocery retail market.

Coop

Coop Norge SA is a Norwegian cooperative owned by 117 local cooperatives with more than 1.3 million members.

The Company offers fruits, vegetables, bread bakery products, beverages, as well as dry goods, hygiene articles, and cleaning supplies. From the year 2011 to 2018, the operating revenue of Coop in Norway rose to a major extent. It was the second-largest grocery player in Norway in the year 2018.

REMA 1000

REMA 1000 is a multinational soft-discount grocery chain. The company was founded by ODD Reitan in 1979 and is entirely owned by the Reitan Group. REMA is a short for Reitan Mat, referring to Odd Reitan and 1000 here refers to offering a selection of only one thousand different products.

Wrapping Up

In the post COVID world, new market leaders might emerge for all the industries and niches.

Also, it’s high time that we start accepting the new reality and reframe our plans, especially business plans based on this. There are hundreds of ideas for a new business but ‘Online Grocery Delivery’ is the most promising as per the current scenario.

If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, who is also interested in eGrocery, find an online grocery delivery software and launch your online grocery marketplace in Norway.

Originally published at: https://medium.com/growcer-ecommerce-grocery-software/start-an-online-grocery-business-in-norway-4eb715367c1a