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Kalundborg: The Small Danish Town Powering a Pharmaceutical Empire, but Struggling to Keep Its People

In the quiet coastal town of Kalundborg, Denmark, echoes of a modern-day gold rush reverberate through the streets. With just 16,000 residents and a location roughly an hour’s drive from the capital, Copenhagen, the town is home to one of the most important production sites for one of the world’s most in-demand drugs—Wegovy, a weight-loss treatment derived from the compound semaglutide, also used in the diabetes medication Ozempic.

The Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, now Europe’s most valuable company, has poured more than $8.5 billion (or £6.5 billion) into the area, making Kalundborg the beating heart of its manufacturing empire. That investment, equivalent to nearly the entire GDP of Monaco, has transformed the town from a quiet coastal community into a hub of industrial ambition.

Yet, despite its economic success, Kalundborg faces a paradox: attracting workers is easy—but convincing them to live there is another matter entirely.

The ‘Novo Queue’ and the Commuter Economy

Each morning, the roads leading into Kalundborg swell with the so-called “Novo Queue”—a traffic surge as workers flood into the factory complex. In the afternoon, the same tide ebbs as employees return to their homes elsewhere. Though the factory provides thousands of jobs, most of those workers don’t reside in the town.

While investment per resident appears astronomical—around £400,000 per person—the lived reality for many locals paints a more complex picture. Schools, especially in the town’s outskirts, are in disrepair. Some playgrounds are little more than bare sand and rusted swings. Income levels are lower than the national average, and educational attainment lags behind. In Danish language and maths, local state schools consistently score below the national average.

Low Aspirations, Limited Ambitions

According to regional councillor Helle Laursen Petersen, part of the issue stems from low academic expectations. “Parents see Novo Nordisk as a safety net,” she says. “They think, ‘Why push for university when the factory is right there?’”

It’s a view echoed by students at the local Gymnasium—the town’s academic secondary school—who are divided about their futures. Anna K dreams of studying in a larger city and is skeptical about returning. “It might become interesting later,” she says, “but as of now, I think it’s a bit too boring to settle down here.”

Yet not all share her hesitation. Classmates Ali and Marie express a desire to return after their studies, hopeful that the town’s natural beauty and expanding job market could provide a satisfying life.

Prosperity on Paper, Growing Pains in Reality

While Novo Nordisk’s economic footprint is undeniable—the company accounts for around 1% of Denmark’s total workforce and a significant portion of its GDP growth—the town’s wider commercial environment is less stable. Bakeries and supermarkets are booming, serving lunch-hour crowds of factory staff. But smaller, independent businesses such as clothing and shoe shops often open briefly before shuttering, unable to thrive in a commuter-centric economy.

Meanwhile, Kalundborg faces a growing health crisis of its own: it ranks among the top 5% of Danish towns for childhood obesity rates. Paradoxically, in a town synonymous with a weight-loss drug, the local population struggles with nutrition and lifestyle-related issues.

Education, Integration, and Investment in the Future

The town’s mayor, Martin Damm, remains optimistic. He points to over 1,000 new jobs created annually and asserts that local schools are undergoing refurbishment and infrastructure upgrades. “In Europe, people are moving from rural areas to big cities. But here, we’re doing the opposite,” Damm says. “This is the little city attracting big investment.”

For young international residents, the town holds promise. Miguel, an 18-year-old student from Madrid studying biotechnology in Kalundborg, recently joined a local football team filled with players from Brazil, Mexico, Poland, and Ukraine. “There are so many international people here,” he says. “Almost everyone I’ve talked to in English responds in English.”

Amanda, who recently moved from Brazil, has found work and placed her children in school. She’s hopeful that they’ll stay through university, seeing Kalundborg as a place of long-term opportunity.

At a Crossroads

To ease chronic traffic issues, a new highway is under construction, but physical infrastructure alone may not solve the deeper challenge: getting people to settle, not just commute. Students at the Gymnasium view Kalundborg as a town in transition—poised between economic boom and the risk of becoming a hollow industrial shell.

“In five years, I think the town will have grown quite a lot,” Anna K says, cautiously optimistic. “I hope for a multicultural town. If that’s the case, then I might consider moving back.”

Kalundborg, with its unique blend of natural beauty, booming industry, and socio-economic contrasts, is at a pivotal moment. As Novo Nordisk continues to expand and global demand for its products surges, the town must answer a critical question: Can it build a community to match its industrial might?

If it can, Kalundborg may not just be a pharmaceutical powerhouse—but a model for how small towns can thrive in a global economy.

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