Harper Collins Germany will acquire guidebook publisher Gräfe und Unzer from Ganske, subject to regulatory approval. GU, which has operated for more than 300 years, will continue to be based in Munich under the Harper Collins umbrella, which will also take on the company’s distribution business, ISP Isar Sales Partner. According to a release, the acquisition more than doubles Harper’s German business, and expands its portfolio to include cookbooks, self-help, health, gardening, travel, and more. “Germany is one of our strongest markets in the international portfolio and one where we see tremendous growth opportunities. This acquisition will allow us to […]
M&A
Edelweiss Is Sold to Valsoft
Canadian marketing software company Valsoft Corporation has bought Above the Treeline, the company that owns digital book catalog platform Edelweiss. The group writes in a release that “the acquisition marks Valsoft’s first venture into software for the book market,” though they also bought a controlling stake in Klopotek in the summer of 2023. The Edelweiss team “will remain in their leadership role.” “We’re thrilled to be partnering with John and Annie Rubin to drive forward the modernization of the book industry,” said Anthony Caruso, investment partner at Valsoft. “Edelweiss has built an unparalleled reputation over the years, and its vibrant […]
HBG Acquires Union Square & Co.
Hachette Book Group has purchased Sterling Publishing from Barnes & Noble. The acquisition includes imprints Union Square & Co., Union Square Kids, Boxer Books, Puzzlewright Press, Sterling Ethos, and Spark Notes, as well as stationery publishers. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. The group will continue to be led by Emily Meehan, who will report to Grand Central president and publisher Ben Sevier. According to a release, “All Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.’s staff, publishing assets and trademarks will transfer to Hachette Book Group.” The publisher has approximately 14,500 titles in print and ebook. HBG will assume Union Square’s distribution […]
Penguin Publishing Group Acquires Amber-Allen Publishing List
Penguin Publishing Group announced it is acquiring the publishing assets of Amber-Allen Publishing, with Tarcher Perigee managing the titles once the deal is completed. Founded in 1990, Amber-Allen is a self-help and spiritual publisher, whose books include The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz and Janet Mills, which has sold over 15 million copies. Tacher Perigee publisher Tracy Behar said in a release, “Amber-Allen, and especially the Toltec Wisdom series, has had a remarkable and enduring impact on the world. It is a great honor to protect the legacy that Janet Mills has created, and to bring these classic titles into […]
DK Acquires Canelo
DK has acquired UK-based digital publisher Canelo, founded by Iain Millar, Michael Bhaskar and Nick Barreto in 2015. The company says the acquisition is part of a plan “to broaden its publishing scope, adding Canelo’s thriving fiction lines to its world-renowned illustrated, non-fiction and children’s fiction titles.” DK ceo Paul Kelly said, “This partnership is a strategic evolution for DK, integrating Canelo’s renowned author-first approach and proven genre expertise with our global platform. Together, we’ll engage new readers and support talented authors by creating compelling, accessible fiction and non-fiction with a reach that spans DK’s global distribution networks. We see […]
Minority Investor to Become Sole Owner of Germany’s Suhrkamp
German businessman Dirk Möhrle will become the sole owner of 100-year-old publisher Suhrkamp on November 1, increasing the minority 39 percent stake in the company he has held since 2015, buying out the Siegfried and Ulla Unseld Family Foundation and the Ströher family. Jonathan Landgrebe’s position will “remain unaffected by these changes.” He writes: “I continue to take great pleasure in assuming the responsibilities that go along with the rich traditions of this publishing house. And I am happy to say that in Dirk Möhrle, we have someone by our side who has already proven himself to be a reliable, […]