Growth, headwind and new opportunities

Since the start-up in January 2018, FS and commercial activities have had an incredible journey. The department has gone from 0 to 240 employees, and the budget for 2021 is an impressive NOK 330 million. The name of the department covers various deliveries such as co-working, site manager, event and restaurant operations.

“Such growth is only possible if you have a fantastic team of positive employees”, says Henning Østlund, operations director at FS.

But the past year hasn’t always been bright. There was a lot of uncertainty in the first quarter. Lay-offs had to be carried out and the situation was demanding for everyone involved.

“Lay-offs are obviously the worst. Our budgets for 2020 were optimistic, both in terms of the number of jobs we intended to create and the financial results we planned to deliver together. When the pandemic hit, it was more about securing jobs than creating new ones.

Victoria Haugland, facility manager for commercial operations, shares Østlund's view of the year that has passed. At the same time, she is proud of everything they have achieved:

“Even with only a few people at work, we have managed to deliver both good sales and good customer experiences. An impressive effort has been made by both operations and management. We showed in practice how restructuring can be the industry's biggest competitive advantage. The Ghost Kitchen project, where canteens were converted into small dining halls with delivery in the evening, is just one of the innovations that were launched in the middle of the pandemic.

It is certain that people thrive under the leadership of, among others, Østlund and Haugland. The vast majority of those who start in FS and commercial operations do so as a consequence of recommendations from those who are already employed there. This testifies to a culture where everyone is valued and allowed to contribute.

2020 was also a year in which FS and commercial operations seized new opportunities. The renovation of the Edda restaurant in Bjørvika is one of several good examples.

We simply needed a new and more suitable concept for the area, says Østlund.

One Saturday evening in May, he received approval from the group management for financing for the renovation. The choice was Italian, but there was a lot of work to be done in a short time. Haugland says:

“We expanded the collaboration that 4Service already has with Andreas Viestad and Dag Tjersland. The choice of an Italian restaurant became specifically Venetian, a food offering that is unique in Oslo.

Nothing is random about Salome, not even the name. The story of Salome, Herod's stepdaughter who carried John the Baptist's head on a silver platter, is told in the opera written by Richard Strauss. There are few heads served at the restaurant in Bjørvika, but with the opera nearby, the name suits the area. Edvard Munch also produced a painting of the same name, and his museum is just a stone's throw away, so it is easy to understand that the restaurant concept is well thought out.

“All concepts need a common thread. Name, location, interior, correct staff, good insight into the target group and a carefully selected menu adapted to the seasons are all crucial components. The whole of Salome is a result of hard work and good cooperation”, Haugland explains enthusiastically.

The hard work also produces results. During two autumn months in 2020, Salome had a higher turnover than Edda had in the whole of the first half of 2019. The best-selling dish is pasta vongole, a classic dish from Venice, but the pizzas received most attention, which performed equally well on the plate and in the photos.

“Pizza Nero, a pizza with a black base, has received a lot of attention on social media. The colour comes from squid, which of course is not accidental”, laughs Østlund.