Jacaranda Books
Jacaranda Books is a London-based independent publisher (founded 2012) selling fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and YA titles from Black British, Caribbean, African diaspora, and South Asian authors directly to consumers via its own e-commerce platform, with global shipping, subscription, and box set offerings.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Jacaranda Books does
Jacaranda Books is a London-based independent publisher founded in 2012, operating as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce business that curates and sells fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and young adult titles from Black British, Caribbean, African diaspora, and South Asian authors. The catalog is organized into a multi-imprint structure featuring a core literary list, the A Quick Ting On sub-brand for cultural commentary, themed collections (Windrush, Twenty in 2020, Sareeta's List), and curated box sets that bundle titles by genre. Physical and eBook sales are transacted through the company's own Shopify-style storefront at jacarandabooksartmusic.com, with global shipping priced in both GBP and USD, and the company also sells digital gift cards and operates a subscription service for recurring delivery.
The business is small (1–10 employees) and founder-led by CEO Valerie Brandes, with Solomon Rose serving as finance officer. Its technology stack is a standard e-commerce platform with no proprietary features, APIs, or AI capabilities disclosed. Marketing runs on organic channels — email newsletter, Facebook, X, and Instagram — supported by a blog/news section. Critical credibility has been established through the 2022 OCM Bocas Prize for Fiction win for Pleasantview, a 2022 McKitterick Prize shortlisting, a 2022 Firecracker Award finalist position, and a 2025 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize shortlisting for LOCA.
Commercially, revenue is generated from three streams: one-time book sales (the largest, spanning individual titles at $13–$28 and box sets at $46–$61), recurring subscription revenue, and gift card sales. No external funding rounds have been recorded, and the company has no disclosed parent, no subsidiaries, and no M&A activity, suggesting an organically funded, self-sustaining independent operation.
Jacaranda Books firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Jacaranda Books
- Legal name
- Jacaranda Books
- Website
- https://jacarandabooks.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Jacaranda Books is a London-based independent publisher (founded 2012) selling fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and YA titles from Black British, Caribbean, African diaspora, and South Asian authors directly to consumers via its own e-commerce platform, with global shipping, subscription, and box set offerings.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Jacaranda Books industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Book Retailers and News Dealers (459210)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- E-book Subscription & Bundling Services (MPAJAMAB)
Keywords
Where Jacaranda Books is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Jacaranda Books business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Direct sales of physical books and eBooks through the company's e-commerce platform, including individual titles, curated box sets, and specialty collections.
- Subscription Service: Jacaranda Subscription service offering readers ongoing access to books and exclusive content.
- Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in denominations from £15 to £50 for gifting to other readers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Book Titles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Box Set Collections |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Jacaranda Books product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Jacaranda Books is an independent UK-based publisher and bookseller that produces and sells physical books, eBooks, curated box sets, and a book subscription service focused on diverse voices from Black British, Caribbean, African diaspora, and South Asian communities. Its catalog spans literary fiction, romance, crime, historical fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and young adult titles, organized into themed collections such as Sareeta's List, the A Quick Ting On series, the Windrush Collection, and Jacaranda Box Sets. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer through its own e-commerce storefront, supplemented by gift card sales and trade catalogues for rights and bookstore sales.
Product overview
Jacaranda Books is an independent publisher operating through a multi-imprint catalog structure, offering physical books, eBooks, and curated box set bundles. The core product line centers on diverse fiction and non-fiction titles organized into collections including Sareeta's List (curated recommendations), the A Quick Ting On sub-brand series (cultural commentary), the Windrush Collection (Windrush generation stories), and thematic box sets. Additional offerings include a subscription service, gift cards, and themed collections like Twenty in 2020. Books span categories including Literary Fiction, Romance, Crime & Thrillers, Young Adult, Poetry, Social Histories, Historical Fiction, Non-Fiction, In Translation, and Experimental Fiction.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- A Quick Ting On™: A series of sharp, stylish and deeply insightful titles covering topics from Afrobeats and grime to business, fashion and identity.
- Jacaranda Box Sets
Products and services
- Lagos Will Be Hard For You
Companies that use Jacaranda Books
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Jacaranda Books technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Jacaranda Books partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Jacaranda Books competitors and assessment
Company assessmentPeers
- Jonathan Cape (Penguin Random House imprint):
Direct peers
- Cassava Republic Press: Independent UK-based publisher focused on African and Caribbean literature and diverse voices; operates a similar trade publishing + curated box set model and serves the same reader community as Jacaranda Books.
- Dialogue Books: Independent UK publisher dedicated to underrepresented voices, particularly writers of colour and LGBTQ+ authors; directly comparable mission, scale, and curated literary catalog to Jacaranda Books.
- Peepal Tree Press: UK-based independent publisher specializing in Black British, Caribbean, and South Asian writing; long-established in the same niche as Jacaranda with overlapping author communities and reader base.
- And Other Stories: Independent UK literary publisher focusing on translated and contemporary literary fiction; comparable independent trade publishing scale and D2C/trade distribution approach to Jacaranda.
- Pushkin Press: Independent UK publisher specializing in international and translated literary fiction; similar independent scale and curated literary mission, with overlapping "In Translation" and literary fiction categories.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Jacaranda Books social profiles
Digital presenceJacaranda Books financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Jacaranda Books leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Jacaranda Books funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Jacaranda Books 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 Jacaranda Books
What does Jacaranda Books do?
Jacaranda Books is an independent UK-based publisher and bookseller that produces and sells physical books, eBooks, curated box sets, and a book subscription service focused on diverse voices from Black British, Caribbean, African diaspora, and South Asian communities. Its catalog spans literary fiction, romance, crime, historical fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and young adult titles, organized into themed collections such as Sareeta's List, the A Quick Ting On series, the Windrush Collection, and Jacaranda Box Sets. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer through its own e-commerce storefront, supplemented by gift card sales and trade catalogues for rights and bookstore sales.
Is Jacaranda Books a public or private company?
Jacaranda Books is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Jacaranda Books founded?
Jacaranda Books was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Jacaranda Books based?
Jacaranda Books is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Jacaranda Books make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are subscription Service and gift Cards.
Who are Jacaranda Books's main competitors?
Jonathan Cape (Penguin Random House imprint) is listed as a peer. Direct peers are Cassava Republic Press, Dialogue Books, Peepal Tree Press, And Other Stories and Pushkin Press.
Does Jacaranda Books have an API?
No public API is recorded for Jacaranda Books.
What industry is Jacaranda Books in?
Jacaranda Books's product category is Independent Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAA, General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction), with a secondary code of MPAJAMAB, E-book Subscription & Bundling Services. Its NAICS code is 5131 and its SIC code is 2731.