Viking

What Viking does

Viking is a UK-based B2B e-commerce retailer specializing in office supplies, stationery, furniture, technology equipment, ink and toner, paper and packaging, catering supplies, cleaning products, and workplace hygiene items. Founded circa 1960 and headquartered in Leicester, England, the company serves UK business customers through its online platform at viking-direct.co.uk, offering next-day delivery, free returns, VAT-exclusive B2B pricing, and Nectar loyalty point collection. The company employs 1,001-5,000 staff and operates as a country unit of the RAJA Group, a European office supplies distribution group. The catalog is organized into broad categories including Catering and Hospitality, Cleaning and Hygiene, Technology, Ink and Toner, Paper and Packaging, Furniture, and Workplace Safety, with a growing Eco Products sub-line addressing sustainability requirements from enterprise buyers. Customer service operates weekdays from 8am to 4pm via phone (0330 128 1399), live chat, and email.

Viking Direct UK maintains documented compliance and quality credentials, including ISO 9001:2015 (quality management), ISO 14001:2015 (environmental management), ISO 45001:2018 (occupational health and safety), Cyber Essentials (cybersecurity baseline), and an EcoVadis sustainability rating. These certifications support eligibility for enterprise and public-sector procurement frameworks and reinforce the company's positioning in the UK B2B office supplies market. The business is distinct from Viking Holdings Ltd (NYSE: VIK), the publicly traded cruise line company that also uses the Viking name; the two share no corporate parent and operate in unrelated industries. Note that the bulk of the source input material pertains to Viking Holdings Ltd (the cruise line) and does not describe Viking Direct UK.

Name

Viking

Legal name

Viking Holdings Ltd

Website

https://viking-direct.co.uk

Company type

Public

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Viking Direct UK is a Leicester-based B2B e-commerce retailer of office supplies, stationery, catering, cleaning, and hygiene products serving UK business customers with next-day delivery, backed by RAJA Group and holding ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001 certifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Leicester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Cruise Ticket Sales: Viking generates primary revenue from selling cruise tickets across ocean, river, and expedition voyages. The company offers various itinerary lengths from 8-day river cruises to 142-day world cruises, with pricing that includes accommodations, meals, and shore excursions.
2. Ancillary Services: Additional revenue comes from shore excursion credits, business class airfare upgrades, and optional overland excursions such as trips to Uluru, India's Golden Triangle, and Kruger National Park.
3. Onboard Services: Revenue from onboard spending including premium dining, spa services, and other guest amenities during cruises.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Viking (Viking Direct UK) is an e-commerce retailer of office supplies, stationery, technology equipment, ink & toner, paper & packaging, catering, cleaning, furniture, and workplace safety products. The retailer targets UK business customers with online ordering, free next-working-day delivery, free returns, and Nectar loyalty point collection, supported by phone, live chat, and email customer service.

Product overview

Viking operates as two distinct business units: (1) Viking (NYSE:VIK) is a cruise line company offering ocean, river, and expedition cruises across rivers, oceans, and all seven continents with a fleet of over 100 ships including ocean ships (Viking Mira), river ships (Viking Eldir, Viking Ptah, Viking Sekhmet), and expedition ships (Viking Octantis, Viking Polaris). The company offers world cruises (125-170 days), expedition voyages (10-81 days), and regional river cruises in Europe, Egypt, India, and the Americas. (2) Viking Direct UK is an office supplies and stationery retailer (part of RAJA Group) serving UK businesses since 1990, offering office supplies, technology equipment, ink & toner, paper & packaging, catering, cleaning, furniture, and workplace safety products through online retail with next-day delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Office Supplies & Stationery Core online catalog of office supplies and stationery for UK businesses, sold through viking-direct.co.uk with over 35 years of experience in the category. Free next-working-day delivery and VAT-inclusive or VAT-exclusive price display are available.
• Ink & Toner Supplies Ink and toner cartridges sold through the Viking Direct UK online catalog for UK business customers needing printer consumables.
• Technology Equipment Technology equipment sold through the Viking Direct UK online store as part of its broader workplace supplies offering for UK business customers.
• Paper & Packaging Paper and packaging products sold through the Viking Direct UK online store to support shipping, mailing, and general office operations for UK business customers.
• Catering & Hospitality Supplies Catering and hospitality product category on viking-direct.co.uk covering coffee, tea, hot chocolate, sugar and sweeteners, milk and dairy substitutes, coffee syrups, biscuits, crisps, sweets, bottled water, tableware, cutlery, dinnerware, napkins, glassware, kitchen rolls, cling film, foil, kitchen utensils, kettles, coffee machines, and toasters for UK workplace kitchens.
• Cleaning & Hygiene Products Cleaning and hygiene category on viking-direct.co.uk covering bathroom supplies and accessories, hand soap, hand towels, toilet rolls, paper towel dispensers, kitchen and multi-purpose cleaning detergents, dishwashing products, and bleach and disinfectants for UK workplaces.
• Office Furniture Office furniture sold through the Viking Direct UK online store as part of its broader workplace supplies offering for UK business customers.
• Workplace Safety Products Workplace safety products sold through the Viking Direct UK online store as part of its broader workplace supplies offering for UK business customers.
• Eco Products Range Eco Products sub-range on viking-direct.co.uk featuring environmentally preferable coffee, tea, condiments, and food & snacks for UK workplaces.
• Gifts & Celebration Products Gifts and celebration category on viking-direct.co.uk covering the Viking brand range, hampers and gift baskets, gift wrapping and greeting cards, and seasonal and holiday decorations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 62% stock return in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Carnival Corporation: Largest publicly traded cruise operator globally with multiple brands (Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Cunard) spanning mass-market to premium segments. Directly comparable as a public cruise operator competing for overlapping customer demographics, though broader and more family-oriented than Viking.
• Royal Caribbean Group: Major publicly traded cruise operator with Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea brands. Celebrity Cruises most directly overlaps Viking's premium contemporary positioning, and Silversea competes in luxury expedition voyages against Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris.

Direct peers

• Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings: Public cruise operator with Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas. Oceania and Regent Seven Seas directly compete with Viking in the premium and luxury segments targeting culturally engaged adult travelers.
• Crystal Cruises: Luxury and expedition cruise operator tied with Viking for top CDC cleanliness scores. Directly competes in the luxury cruise segment with ocean, river, and expedition offerings targeting similar affluent adult demographics.
• Silversea Cruises: Luxury and expedition cruise line owned by Royal Caribbean Group operating all-suite ships. Competes head-to-head with Viking in luxury expedition voyages, all-inclusive pricing models, and destination-immersive itineraries including Antarctica and the Arctic.
• Seabourn Cruise Line: Ultra-luxury cruise operator under Carnival Corporation operating small all-suite ships. Directly comparable as a luxury cruise competitor targeting affluent, culturally curious adult travelers seeking intimate, destination-rich experiences.
• Lindblad Expeditions Holdings: Public expedition cruise company partnered with National Geographic. Directly competes with Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris in expedition cruising to polar and remote destinations, focusing on educational and scientific enrichment.
• Hurtigruten: Norwegian expedition cruise operator with sailings along the Norwegian coast, Antarctica, and the Arctic. Competes with Viking's expedition segment, particularly in polar destinations, with similar focus on sustainability and immersive itineraries.
• Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours: Australian-based river and ocean cruise operator with all-balcony ships. Directly competes with Viking in European river cruising and increasingly in ocean cruises, targeting similar affluent culturally-engaged adult demographics.
• AmaWaterways: Privately held luxury river cruise operator in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Directly competes with Viking's European and Nile river cruise offerings with similar premium inclusions and culturally immersive shore excursion programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uk_vikingdirect

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Viking