From humble beginnings to a thriving prawn wholesaler, Steven Thai’s journey with Ocean King Ltd is a testament to perseverance, vision, and an unwavering commitment to enriching lives, now celebrated as a finalist in the prestigious Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2023.
In 1997, Steven Thai founded Ocean King Ltd, a wholesaler specializing in premium prawns, with a mission to “Create Opportunities and Enrich Lives”. Having fled persecution in Vietnam as refugees, Thai and his co-founders were eternally grateful for the opportunities the UK provided them. They built Ocean King with a vision to pass on those same opportunities to everyone they work with.
Over the past 25 years, Ocean King has thrived under Thai’s leadership, with a significant investment of £5 million into the new site. In May 2023, the company will complete a massive 32,000 square foot expansion, enabling further investment in their team’s well-being and development. The new “business and well-being hub” will provide state-of-the-art facilities, including breakout zones, a learning space, and a well-being center.
Looking to the future, Ocean King aims to open three more hubs of this scale over the next decade, as well as several smaller sites. Thai envisions the hubs becoming a place where Ocean King can continue fulfilling their mission to enrich lives on an even greater scale.
Thai’s perseverance and vision have built Ocean King into an award-winning company in the future and cemented its place as the UK’s premier prawn wholesaler. This November, Ocean King has been named a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2023, recognized as “The Grammys of Entrepreneurship”.
To learn more about Steven Thai and Ocean King Ltd, visit www.oceanking.co.uk.
