Bath based Bookoli and Hinkler pen deal to launch major new publisher
Bookoli and Hinkler pen deal to launch major new publisher
– Curious Universe UK to become leading mass market brand following joint venture agreement –
London/Melbourne, 27th June 2018 – UK-based start-up publisher Bookoli, has signed a joint venture agreement with Australian publisher Hinkler, to launch Curious Universe UK, a new mass market publisher.
The deal will see Curious Universe UK market Bookoli brands and products worldwide, while Hinkler will expand its presence further in the UK, Ireland and various co-edition markets through the new entity when it launches next month.
Curious Universe UK, which will have its head office based in Bath, will be actively recruiting to grow the team working alongside existing Bookoli and Hinkler UK staff as it expands globally.
John Styring, Founder and CEO of Bookoli, who with Briony Britten established and built IglooBooks into a £30m company before selling it to Bonnier Publishing, will be the UK CEO of Curious Universe UK. Commenting on the deal he stated: “When we started talking to Stephen Ungar and Nadika Garber at Hinkler, it quickly became apparent that this would be a perfect match.”
He continued: “With our experience in running a leading mass market publisher from here in the UK, and the creative genius and wealth of successful products from Hinkler, we believe the Curious Universe UK brand will be a very strong proposition. The Bookoli and Hinkler lists very much complement each other and we are excited to be working together to build a new one-stop-shop for children’s and adults books and stationery. I have known Stephen and Nadika a long time and have enormous respect for what they have achieved and look forward to the collaboration.”
Stephen Ungar, CEO and Publisher of Hinkler Books described the move as a “unique opportunity to attract the best of the best people in our industry and to construct a global entrepreneurial publishing powerhouse.”
The agreement will also offer the opportunity to leverage Hinkler’s recent expansion into the arts, craft, stationery and toy industries via a newly created company based in Hong Kong. “By combining each of our strengths, we will create and deliver new high-quality, innovative and value-driven products for our customers, which is critical in the current challenging retail environment,” Ungar concluded.
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About Bookoli
Launched in April 2018 and based in Bath, UK, Bookoli is a new publishing start-up producing innovative books and products for children aged five and under. Founded by husband and wife team, John Styring and Briony Britten, Bookoli is due to publish its first titles this autumn.
About Hinkler Books
Hinkler is a global, independent publisher based in Melbourne, Australia. Our mission is to surprise and delight every child, adult and retailer we meet by publishing books with a difference. For booklovers of all ages we have a quality book, kit, game or puzzle for you.
Hinkler was founded in 1994 in Melbourne. Since that time, we have focused on making quality products that are affordable for families. Motivated by our belief that price should be no barrier to the enjoyment of good books; our value-for-money promise is hard to beat.
Language and distance aren’t barriers for us either. Every year we sell 20 million products in 38 languages throughout 77 different countries. So, wherever you live, you can be assured that a Hinkler book will be on hand to entertain your family every day of the year.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Daniel Freeman
Colour PR
+44 (0)7967 803 753
