Carlsen

What Carlsen does

Carlsen (Carlsen Verlag GmbH) is a Hamburg-based German book publisher founded in 1953 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bonnier Media Deutschland GmbH, the German arm of the Bonnier media group. The company publishes across four core verticals: children's books (including the flagship Pixi picture book series, Conni, and School of Talents), Young Adult and New Adult fiction, manga and webtoons (including licensed titles such as One Piece), and Western comics (Tintin, Spirou, Peanuts, Calvin & Hobbes). It also controls German-language publishing rights to major international franchises including the complete Harry Potter series, the full Rick Riordan universe (Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, The Kane Chronicles, Magnus Chase, Daughter of the Deep), and Disney properties.

The company operates a hybrid distribution model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce through carlsen.de (featuring wishlists, user accounts, newsletter subscriptions, and Trusted Shops buyer protection) with distribution via physical bookstores, retail chains, and a dedicated educational channel supplying schools and kindergartens through 'Carlsen für Pädagogen'. Pricing spans €4.99 softcover picture books to €199 collector box sets, with e-books priced €4.99–€11.99 and free delivery. The technology stack is standard martech/commerce infrastructure — Salesforce Salescloud and Marketing Cloud for CRM and email, Google Analytics and Tag Manager for web analytics, PayPal and major credit cards for payments, and Zeitfracht Medien for logistics — with no disclosed proprietary technology platforms or AI capabilities.

Carlsen serves DACH-region consumers (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) as its core market while shipping physical products to 25+ EU countries; e-books are unavailable in Switzerland and Norway due to tax constraints. Revenue derives from physical book sales, e-book sales, licensing/rights income from major franchises, and educational material sales. The company holds a wholly-owned subsidiary, Lappan Verlag, and a sub-brand, Carlsen-K (Kindermedienagentur / children's media agency), extending its footprint beyond traditional publishing.

Name

Carlsen

Legal name

CARLSEN Verlag GmbH

Website

https://carlsen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Carlsen Verlag is a Hamburg-based German publisher of children's books, young adult fiction, manga, and comics, serving DACH and EU consumers via carlsen.de D2C and bookstore distribution. A Bonnier Media Deutschland subsidiary, it publishes Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and owned franchises like Pixi and Conni.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Hardcover & Premium Editions Publishing (MPAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Western Comic Books Publishing (Superhero, Indie) (MPAJAGAB), Adult/Seinen/Josei Comics Publishing (MPAJAGAJ), Children’s Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Publishing (MPAJAFAH), Children’s Nonfiction Educational (Science, History, Nature) (EDAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Children's book publishing
• Young adult fiction
• Manga publishing
• Comic book publishing
• Educational reading materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg-altona

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Physical Book Sales: Sales of printed books including children's books, young adult novels, manga, comics, and gift books through retail and direct online channels.
2. E-book Sales: Digital distribution of e-book versions of their published titles through their online platform.
3. Licensing and Rights: Publishing rights for established franchises like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Disney properties generate licensing revenue.
4. Educational Materials: Sales of school and kindergarten educational materials, worksheets, and reading materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Carlsen publishes and sells a broad catalog of German-language physical and digital books spanning children's picture books, young adult and new adult fiction, manga and webtoons, comics, and humor/gift titles, including exclusive German editions of major licensed franchises such as Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Disney properties. The company distributes primarily through its own direct-to-consumer online shop (carlsen.de), supplemented by physical retail bookstores, digital e-book channels, and a dedicated educational program serving schools and kindergartens. Carlsen also operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary within the Bonnier Media Deutschland publishing group, leveraging group-wide distribution infrastructure.

Product overview

Carlsen (Carlsen Verlag GmbH) is a German publishing house and e-commerce platform under Bonnier Media Deutschland GmbH. The company operates as a multi-format publishing house offering physical books (hardcover, paperback, softcover) and digital products (e-books, e-manga) across several interconnected product lines: (1) children's books including the flagship Pixi picture book series and Conni franchise; (2) young adult and new adult fiction spanning fantasy, romance, thriller, and realistic genres; (3) manga and webtoons including licensed titles like One Piece; (4) comics featuring classics like Tintin and Calvin & Hobbes; (5) licensed heavyweights Percy Jackson/Rick Riordan's complete universe and Harry Potter. The core platform is the carlsen.de online shop, which also houses educational services (Carlsen in der Schule/Kita) providing teaching materials and classroom resources. Products are available in German language primarily, serving the DACH region consumer market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carlsen-K: Kindermedienagentur (Children's Media Agency)
• Lappan

Products and services

• Carlsen Kinderbuch (Children's Books) Children's books for readers up to 12 years, encompassing picture books, baby and toddler titles, read-aloud stories, and books for school-age children. Includes licensed properties such as Disney and Harry Potter editions aimed at young readers.
• Carlsen Young Adult & New Adult Books for readers aged 12 and up, featuring fantasy, romance, thriller, and realistic fiction genres. Active new releases include the Cloverleigh Farms series and Darkhill Academy.
• Carlsen Manga & Webtoons Japanese manga publications and webtoons in German translation, including licensed titles such as One Piece, Kagurabachi, Blue Box, and Sweet Home. Available in print and e-manga formats.
• Carlsen Comics Classic and contemporary comic publications including Tintin, Spirou et Fantasio, Marsupilami, Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts, Blake and Mortimer, and original graphic novels, available in German.
• Carlsen Humor & Geschenkbuch (Gift Books and Calendars) Gift books, wall and desk calendars, advent calendars, cartoons, and humor titles covering a range of German humor authors and brands.
• E-Books / E-Manga Digital versions of Carlsen's book catalog available as e-books, including e-manga titles and general publishing titles. E-book delivery is free of charge.
• Percy Jackson / Rick Riordan Universe (Licensed Publishing Program) German editions of Rick Riordan's complete fantasy universe including Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, The Apollo Trials, The Kane Chronicles, Magnus Chase, Daughter of the Deep, and related companion and comic adaptations. Published under licensing rights in German translation.
• Harry Potter (Licensed Publishing Program) Complete Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling in German, published in various editions including hardcover, paperback, special collector's editions with slipcase, and companion guides (Potter Guides).
• Carlsen Online Shop (carlsen.de) Direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform (carlsen.de) where consumers can purchase Carlsen's full book catalog, manage user accounts and wishlists, subscribe to newsletters, and access school/kindergarten resources.
• Carlsen für Pädagogen (Educational Program) Educational resource program providing age-appropriate school reading materials, free downloadable teaching materials (Unterrichtsmaterial), picture book cinema (Bilderbuchkino) for kindergartens, and discounted examination copies for teachers.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Bonnier Media Deutschland GmbHcoreOthersCarlsen Verlag GmbH is a subsidiary of Bonnier Media Deutschland GmbH, a major German publishing group headquartered in Munich. The group includes publishers such as arsEdition, Piper, Ullstein, and Thienemann-Esslinger. Carlsen operates from its Hamburg office under this parent company structure.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Panini Verlag: Panini is the dominant German publisher of manga (Shonen Jump titles), comics, and collectibles. Direct overlap with Carlsen on Japanese manga licensing, German-language comics publishing, and the youth collector market.
• Oetinger Verlag: Hamburg-based children’s book publisher of comparable size with strong picture book and chapter book lines (e.g., ERNST & PANDA). Operates in the same DACH children’s trade market with similar educational channel reach.
• Loewe Verlag: German children’s and young adult publisher known for the Warren the 13th and Lotta series. Competes directly for shelf space and parental purchase decisions in the 6–12 reading age group.
• Ravensburger Verlag: Ravensburger combines children’s book publishing with puzzles and games. Comparable as a DACH family entertainment publisher targeting the same primary purchase occasions (gifting, kindergarten/school).
• Egmont Ehapa Media: German arm of Egmont Publishing; publishes Disney comics (Donald Duck, Mickey) and the German Asterix. Direct peer on licensed comic publishing and competing for the German youth comics shelf.

Broad incumbents

• Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe: Germany arm of the world’s largest trade publisher. Competes across all of Carlsen’s adult and YA categories (Goldmann, Blanvalet, Heyne) and benefits from superior scale in distribution and rights acquisition.
• HarperCollins Germany: German division of HarperCollins; publishes YA and middle-grade titles (sometimes including Harry Potter-adjacent fantasy) across physical and digital channels, representing broader competitive pressure on Carlsen’s YA portfolio.

Emerging players

• Tokyopop: German-based subsidiary of Tokyopop focused on manga and manhwa publication. Direct emerging competitor in the same DACH manga market, particularly for newer shonen and manhwa licenses.

Others

• Ullstein Verlag: Sister Bonnier Media Deutschland imprint focused on adult fiction and non-fiction. Group-level adjacency rather than direct competition; useful as a reference for inter-imprint trade-offs in Bonnier’s portfolio strategy.
• Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag: Another Bonnier Media Deutschland sister imprint publishing picture books and middle-grade titles. Group-level adjacency; demonstrates the breadth of consolidated children’s publishing under Bonnier’s umbrella.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/carlsen_verlag
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CARLSENVerlag
• Facebookcarlsen.lnk.to/facebook-kanaeleWE
• LinkedInpinterest.de/carlsenverlag
• Instagramcarlsen.lnk.to/instagram-kanaeleWE
• TikToklnk.to/tiktok-kanaeleWE
• Pinterestpinterest.de/carlsenverlag

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Carlsen