Viking Range Corporation - Much more Than Just a High-Finish Grill Manufacturer7813466
Some of the most revolutionary inventions stem from someone searching for a product that hasn't been produced however. That's what happened to Fred Carl Jr., the founder of Viking Variety Corporation, when he was looking to renovate his home much more than twenty years ago. As a fourth generation contractor, he was familiar with the good and negative attributes of commercial ranges, and noticed them appearing in residential homes. Realizing there wasn't a residential appliance out there that met both the rigors of high-heat restaurant-style cooking yet still conformed to strict building codes, he decided to create his personal hybrid variety. Following a number of years of research and development, by January of 1987 Fred Carl Jr. was distributing the first industrial-style residential variety.
These days, Viking Variety Corporation earns more than 300 million dollars in annual sales and employs more than 1,000 local Greenwood, Mississippi residents. Being a lifelong Greenwood citizen, Carl Jr. just could not grow his business anyplace else. With a 87,000 square foot manufacturing plant and a number of distribution centers located in the Greenwood region, Carl Jr. has not only produced one of the largest privately held businesses in the South, but also brought income to this depressed small town. Home to cotton, catfish, and the blues, the Mississippi delta area is one of the most impoverished in the nation, which is all the more reason to praise Carl Jr. for his commitment and dedication to his hometown.
Carl Jr., in fact, has reinvigorated a dilapidated downtown, known as historic Cotton Row, and converted many abandoned buildings into Viking destinations. A Viking Mecca, so to speak, with 23 restored buildings and nonetheless counting. The Viking headquarters requires up two blocks of downtown and is situated close to Viking's Alluvain Hotel and Spa, a luxury hotel and 7,000 square foot spa that entertains not only Viking dealers and sales representatives, but also clients and would-be customers who want to tour the Viking plant or take a cooking class at the nearby Viking Cooking School. But even if you don't make the pilgrimage to Greenwood, you can still test out your cooking skills on a Viking range at any of the 16 Viking Cooking Schools scattered across the country. These state-of-the-art demo and lecture-style Viking classrooms draw more than 70,000 students annually and provide classes from regional cuisine to formal cooking and grilling methods.
Over the years, Carl Jr. has added high-performance appliances to the Viking line up. From the first Viking outside grill in 1997 to a full outside kitchen line up in 2004, Carl Jr. has created appliances for the Viking indoor and outside kitchen that exceed expectations. The newest line is the Designer Series, a full line of appliances that appeals to the homeowner looking for a more contemporary, streamlined design that can be integrated into current cabinetry. It is a much more modern look with a much more competitive price point.
Viking manufactures virtually each appliance for the home such as ranges, ovens, cook tops, dishwashers, refrigerators, and freezers. Countertop appliances such as toasters and blenders and cutlery also bear the Viking brand name. All products are manufactured in the United States and sold worldwide. And if you believe that Viking only produces stainless steel appliances, believe again. Hot new colors from cobalt blue to racing red define a cooking space and visually entertain the eye, making the ideal blend of high-overall performance output with trend-setting style.
Even with the economic downturn, Viking Range Corporation has a bright future with its powerhouse appliances offering trend-focused styling and durable building. Carl Jr. has created a way of life brand synonymous with a luxury way of life that many strive to live.
