Viners
Viners is a 1908-founded British heritage cutlery brand owned by Rayware Limited, manufacturing 18/10 and 18/0 stainless steel cutlery, safety knives, barware, and kitchenware for UK consumers via authorized retailers, Amazon, and a flagship Morrisons partnership for its Assure safety knife line.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1908
- HeadquartersLiverpool, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Viners does
Viners is a British heritage cutlery and kitchenware brand established in 1908, headquartered in Liverpool, England, and operated as a subsidiary of Rayware Limited, a UK-based holding company that also owns complementary kitchenware brands such as Mason Cash. The company manufactures stainless steel cutlery across two tiers — premium 18/10 stainless steel with a 50-year guarantee and everyday-use 18/0 stainless steel with 15/25-year guarantees — plus kitchen knives (including the differentiated Assure safety knife line with squared tips), barware, serveware, kitchenware, and children's cutlery, spanning 50+ collections. The Assure collection, featuring blunt-ended blades, ergonomic soft-touch handles, and non-stick coatings, addresses a UK public-safety use case tied to knife crime reduction and is sold through a partnership with Morrisons, the first UK supermarket to discontinue sharp-pointed kitchen knives.
Viners operates a wholesale-led, product-led go-to-market model. In June 2024 the company announced that its website (viners.co.uk) would transition from a transactional storefront to a non-transactional catalog effective July 1st, redirecting purchase volume to authorized retailers and online marketplaces such as Amazon. Direct sales are now handled via a customer service team reachable by phone (+44 (0)151 486 1888) and email ([email protected]), with pricing set at retailer discretion across the UK. Marketing is primarily content-driven — recipes, care guides, gift guides, and brand heritage storytelling — distributed through organic social (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram), SEO, email newsletters, and Feefo customer reviews. Customer segments span new homeowners, newlyweds, keen home cooks, home mixologists, and children, with gifting occasions (weddings, housewarmings, anniversaries) a recurring demand driver. Compliance with the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 is maintained through a 'Think 25' age-verification policy on restricted knife SKUs. The company employs 251–500 people, has no disclosed funding history, and is privately held with no public listing.
Viners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Viners
- Legal name
- Rayware Limited
- Website
- https://viners.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1908
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Viners is a 1908-founded British heritage cutlery brand owned by Rayware Limited, manufacturing 18/10 and 18/0 stainless steel cutlery, safety knives, barware, and kitchenware for UK consumers via authorized retailers, Amazon, and a flagship Morrisons partnership for its Assure safety knife line.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Viners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cutlery and Kitchenware
- NAICS
- Metal Kitchen Cookware, Utensil, Cutlery, and Flatware (except Precious) Manufacturing (332215), Cutlery and Handtool Manufacturing (3322), Cutlery and Handtool Manufacturing (33221)
- SIC
- Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420), Jewelry, Silverware & Plated Ware (3910)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Kitchen Gadgets & Tools Retail (CRACADAB)
Keywords
Where Viners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Liverpool
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Viners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Hardware/Product Sales: One-time purchase of stainless steel cutlery, kitchen knives, barware, and kitchenware products sold through retail channels and marketplaces.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium 18/10 Cutlery Sets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Everyday Use 18/0 Cutlery Sets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kitchen Knives and Knife Blocks |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Barware Collection |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Viners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Viners manufactures and sells branded stainless steel cutlery (18/10 premium and 18/0 everyday ranges), kitchen knives including the differentiated Assure safety knife collection with blunt tips, barware (cocktail shakers, ice buckets, wine coolers), serveware, and kitchenware. Products are handcrafted and backed by 15-50 year guarantees. The company distributes through authorized retailers, online marketplaces such as Amazon, customer service direct sales, and supermarket partnerships such as Morrisons.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Assure: Safety-focused kitchen knife collection featuring blunt-ended or squared-tip designs to reduce knife crime, with ergonomic soft-touch handles and non-stick coating
- Assure Elite
Products and services
- Premium 18/10 Cutlery Collection A premium line of lustrous, durable, dishwasher-safe 18/10 stainless steel cutlery collections including Eden, Mayfair, Grace, Studio, and Darwin. Available in 16, 24, and 44-piece sets, backed by a 50-year guarantee. Targeted at consumers seeking formal dining cutlery and gifting purchases.
- Everyday 18/0 Cutlery Collection High-quality 18/0 stainless steel cutlery for everyday use featuring modern designs including Angel, Everyday, Glamour, Organic, Tabac, and Twist ranges. Long-lasting and suitable for both formal and casual dining, backed by 15 or 25-year guarantees.
- Kitchen Knives and Knife Blocks A range of kitchen knives including knife block sets and individual knives designed for home meal preparation. Sold alongside knife blocks as standalone units for keen home cooks.
- Assure Safety Knife Collection An innovative safety-focused kitchen knife range featuring squared or blunt tips designed to maximize safe use in and around the home while maintaining cutting performance. Blades finished in black non-stick coating to reduce friction, with stylish curved ergonomic soft-touch handles for comfort. Aimed at households, retailers, and safety-conscious consumers concerned about knife crime, with the Assure Elite premium tier offering a 25-year guarantee.
- Viners Barware Collection A range of barware products including cocktail shakers (silver and gold), ice buckets, wine coolers, champagne buckets, mixing spoons, double jiggers, waiter's friend corkscrews, and ice tongs. Designed for home mixologists and home entertaining with brushed silver and gold finish options.
- Viners Serveware Collection Serveware products for dining and food presentation sold as part of the Viners product range alongside cutlery and barware.
- Viners Kitchenware Collection Kitchenware products including pots and pans, metal utensils, and kitchen accessories sold as part of the broader Viners kitchen offering.
- Viners Children's Cutlery Age-appropriate children's 18/0 stainless steel cutlery designed for different developmental stages including Everyday, Jungle, Bertie Bear, Mermazing, Toddler, and Fox ranges. Designed to help children learn dining skills safely.
Quantifiable outcome
- 50 percent increase in knife crimes over the past decade (49,151 offences recorded)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Viners
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Viners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Viners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- MorrisonscoreMorrisons became the first UK supermarket to stop selling sharp-pointed kitchen knives, replacing them with Viners' Assure Collection blunt-ended safety knives. This partnership responds to police data showing 49,151 knife offences last year (50% increase over the past decade). Anti-knife charities and knife attack survivors have backed the switch as a measure to normalize safer knives and reduce blade crimes.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Viners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Arthur Price: Long-established UK cutlery manufacturer (founded 1902) producing stainless steel and silver-plated cutlery ranges. Directly comparable as a British heritage cutlery brand competing in the same retail and gifting channels.
- Robert Welch Designs: UK-based designer and manufacturer of cutlery, kitchen knives, and tabletop products. Comparable as a premium-positioned British cutlery house selling through similar retail and direct channels.
- Amefa: European cutlery manufacturer headquartered in the Netherlands, supplying stainless steel cutlery ranges to retailers across Europe. Comparable as a multi-range cutlery producer competing for similar shelf space.
- Sabre Paris: French designer and manufacturer of stainless steel cutlery with a strong gifting and tableware presence. Comparable as a design-led cutlery brand operating in similar UK and European retail channels.
- Sambonet: Italian cutlery, silverware, and holloware manufacturer with both plated and stainless steel offerings. Comparable given Viners' description as a 'plated holloware manufacturing company' and overlapping product formats.
Broad incumbents
- Oneida: One of the world's largest cutlery and tabletop brands, offering broad stainless steel and plated cutlery lines. Comparable as a much larger, established incumbent in the same cutlery category with similar distribution model.
- WMF: German premium kitchenware and cutlery brand with a wide portfolio spanning cookware, knives, and tableware. Comparable on premium stainless steel cutlery and broader kitchenware adjacencies Viners is expanding into.
- Zwilling J.A. Henckels: Global German cutlery and kitchen knife brand with deep premium positioning. Comparable on stainless steel knife and kitchen product lines where Viners competes with its Assure and knife block offerings.
Emerging players
- Joseph Joseph: UK-based kitchen gadgets and tools brand with strong design-led retail presence. Comparable as a UK-headquartered kitchenware brand competing for similar shelf space in kitchen tools and gadgets.
Others
- Mason Cash: UK heritage kitchenware brand (also owned by Rayware Limited, Viners' parent). Comparable as a sister brand under the same holding company, sharing back-office, content, and distribution infrastructure.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Viners social profiles
Digital presenceViners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Viners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Viners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Viners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Viners
What does Viners do?
Viners manufactures and sells branded stainless steel cutlery (18/10 premium and 18/0 everyday ranges), kitchen knives including the differentiated Assure safety knife collection with blunt tips, barware (cocktail shakers, ice buckets, wine coolers), serveware, and kitchenware. Products are handcrafted and backed by 15-50 year guarantees. The company distributes through authorized retailers, online marketplaces such as Amazon, customer service direct sales, and supermarket partnerships such as Morrisons.
Is Viners a public or private company?
Viners is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Viners founded?
Viners was founded in 1908. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Viners based?
Viners is headquartered in Liverpool, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Viners make money?
One revenue line is on record: hardware/Product Sales.
Who are Viners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Arthur Price, Robert Welch Designs, Amefa, Sabre Paris and Sambonet. Broad incumbents are Oneida, WMF and Zwilling J.A. Henckels. Joseph Joseph is listed as an emerging player. Mason Cash is listed as an others.
Does Viners have an API?
No public API is recorded for Viners.
What industry is Viners in?
Viners's product category is Cutlery and Kitchenware. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRACADAB, Kitchen Gadgets & Tools Retail. Its NAICS code is 332215 and its SIC code is 3420.