What Messaggerie Italiane does

Messaggerie Italiane S.p.A., founded in 1914 in Bologna and now headquartered in Milan, is a privately held Italian publishing and book distribution group controlled by the Mauri family. The company operates through two main sub-holdings: GeMS (Gruppo editoriale Mauri Spagnol) for publishing with 11 publishing houses and 21 editorial brands including Garzanti, Longanesi, Salani, Guanda, Vallardi, Nord, Bollati Boringhieri, Ponte alle Grazie, Chiarelettere, TEA, Newton Compton, and Duomo Ediciones; and Emmelibri for distribution and commerce. GeMS holds over 10% market share in Italian general publishing and sells more than 20 million copies annually, with a catalog spanning 15,000+ ebooks and 880 audiobooks, and rights dialogues extending to publishers in 125+ countries.

Emmelibri coordinates the distribution and commerce operations, anchored by Messaggerie Libri (the largest independent book distributor in Italy, reaching 6,000+ points of sale with titles from approximately 800 publishers), Fastbook (wholesale distribution with 300,000+ titles serving 8,000+ clients across five physical locations), Opportunity (specialized GDO/large-retail distribution), Centro Libri (wholesale specializing in school textbooks), and the Ubik franchise network (150+ stores) and Libraccio chain (61 stores). E-commerce runs through the Stereo Online JV (IBS.it, Libraccio.it, lafeltrinelli.it), and logistics is handled via the C&M Book Logistics JV with Ceva Logistics, operating the 80,000 sqm Stradella hub processing 50 million books annually. Over 50% of books reaching Italian readers pass through the Group in at least one phase of production or commercialization.

Revenue derives from a mix of book publishing royalties and direct sales (GeMS), distribution and transaction fees from publisher clients (Messaggerie Libri, Fastbook), wholesale margins, franchise and retail sales (Ubik, Libraccio), and e-commerce transactions. The company's customer base spans roughly 800 publishers, 8,000+ wholesale clients, 6,000+ retail points of sale, and end consumers via owned retail and e-commerce. Technology assets are conventional industry information systems rather than proprietary AI platforms, and the company maintains industry databases through Informazioni Editoriali (Alice, e-kitāb, Alibi) and the Arianna+ tele-ordering system.

Name

Messaggerie Italiane

Legal name

Messaggerie Italiane S.p.A.

Website

https://messaggerie.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Messaggerie Italiane is Italy's largest independent book publishing and distribution platform, operating 20+ publishing imprints and distributing over 50% of books reaching Italian readers through 6,000+ points of sale. Founded in 1914 and Mauri family-controlled, the group spans GeMS publishing, Emmelibri distribution, retail chains (Ubik, Libraccio), e-commerce (IBS.it), and logistics (C&M Book Logistics JV).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Publishing and Distribution

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

E-book Subscription & Bundling Services (MPAJAMAB)

Keywords

• Book publishing services
• Book distribution wholesale
• Retail bookstore chain
• Ebook distribution platform
• Logistics fulfillment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Publishing (GeMS): GeMS generates revenue through publishing and selling books across 20+ imprints (Longanesi, Garzanti, Salani, Vallardi, Nord, Guanda, Corbaccio, Bollati Boringhieri, Ponte alle Grazie, Chiarelettere, TEA, Newton Compton, etc.). Revenue comes from selling books to bookstores, online retailers, and through export rights. GeMS is the second-largest publishing group in Italy with over 10% market share and sells over 20 million copies annually.
2. Book Distribution (Emmelibri): Emmelibri coordinates distribution and commercial activities for hundreds of publishers. Messaggerie Libri distributes books from approximately 800 publishers to 6000+ points of sale. Revenue is generated through distribution fees and service charges to publisher clients. Services include order management, fulfillment, and returns processing.
3. Franchise Retail (Ubik): Ubik operates as a franchise model with over 150 store locations in Italy. Franchisees pay for the Ubik brand, systems, training, and operational support while maintaining independence in assortment selection.
4. Retail Bookstores (Libraccio): Libraccio operates 61 physical bookstores across 34 cities and 7 regions, specializing in new and used books, school materials, and academic texts. Revenue comes from direct retail sales to consumers.
5. Wholesale Distribution (Fastbook): Fastbook serves as a wholesale distributor with 300,000+ titles available across 5 locations, serving 8000+ clients including independent bookstores and non-specialized retailers.
6. E-commerce (IBS.it, Libraccio.it, lafeltrinelli.it): Stereo Online operates e-commerce platforms for books, ebooks, music, and movies. IBS.it is Italy's first e-commerce site (launched 1998). Revenue from direct online sales.
7. GDO Distribution (Opportunity): Opportunity distributes books and editorial products through large-scale retail (supermarkets, hypermarkets), providing book organization, promotion management, and assortment selection services to major retail chains.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Messaggerie Italiane is an integrated publishing and book distribution platform operating through two main sub-holdings: GeMS (Gruppo editoriale Mauri Spagnol) controls 20+ publishing imprints producing books across all genres, while Emmelibri coordinates book distribution, wholesale, retail (Ubik franchise with 150+ stores and Libraccio chain with 61 stores), GDO distribution, e-commerce via IBS.it and the Stereo Online JV, and logistics via C&M Book Logistics JV. The Group reaches 6000+ points of sale in Italy through its distribution network, distributes products from approximately 800 publishers, and the books published by GeMS sell over 20 million copies annually.

Product overview

Messaggerie Italiane operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on the book industry in Italy. The Group is structured around two main sub-holdings: GeMS (Gruppo editoriale Mauri Spagnol) for publishing activities with 11 publishing houses and 21 editorial brands, and Emmelibri for distribution and commerce activities representing the largest book platform in Italy. Core distribution services include Messaggerie Libri (independent distributor reaching 6,000+ points of sale), Fastbook (wholesale), Opportunity (GDO), and Centro Libri (school textbooks). Retail operations include Ubik franchise network (150+ stores) and Libraccio chain (61 stores). E-commerce is managed through IBS.it and Stereo Online joint venture. Logistics are handled by C&M Book Logistics joint venture. The Group also includes educational services (Scuola per Librai UEM) and information services (Informazioni Editoriali). Over 50% of books reaching Italian readers pass through the Group.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GeMS (Gruppo editoriale Mauri Spagnol): Publishing division of Messaggerie Italiane, controlling 20+ publishing houses including Garzanti, Longanesi, Salani, Guanda, Vallardi, Nord, and others
• Emmelibri
• Messaggerie Libri
• Ubik
• IBS.it
• Casa Editrice Nord
• Garzanti
• Adriano Salani Editore
• Antonio Vallardi Editore
• Fastbook
• Informazioni Editoriali
• Libraccio
• Stock Libri
• C&M Book Logistics
• Duomo Ediciones

Products and services

• GeMS (Gruppo editoriale Mauri Spagnol) Publishing GeMS is the publishing sub-holding of Messaggerie Italiane controlling 20+ publishing imprints and 21 editorial brands including Longanesi, Garzanti, Salani, Vallardi, Nord, Guanda, Corbaccio, Bollati Boringhieri, Ponte alle Grazie, Chiarelettere, TEA, Newton Compton and others. GeMS is the second-largest Italian publishing group with over 10% market share, selling over 20 million copies annually across a catalog of 15,000+ ebooks and 880 audiobooks, and conducting rights dialogues with publishers in 125+ countries.
• Emmelibri Distribution and Commerce Emmelibri is the industrial holding that coordinates distribution and commercial activities across the Italian book sector. It controls Messaggerie Libri (independent book distribution), Fastbook (wholesale), Opportunity (GDO), Ubik (franchise bookstores), Libraccio (retail chain via DMB), Stereo Online (e-commerce), Emme Promozione (field sales), Informazioni Editoriali, Stock Libri, and C&M Book Logistics (logistics JV).
• Messaggerie Libri - Book Distribution Messaggerie Libri is the most important independent distributor of publishing products in Italy, distributing titles from approximately 800 publishers to over 6,000 points of sale including bookstores, chain stores, and retail outlets. Services include order management, fulfillment, returns processing, and access to a highly reliable web-based information system.
• Fastbook - Wholesale Distribution Fastbook is Italy's leader in wholesale distribution of publishing products. Operating through five physical locations (Bologna, Florence, Milan, Padua, Turin), Fastbook provides over 300,000 titles to more than 8,000 clients including independent bookstores and non-specialized retailers, with 24-48 hour fulfillment via the Fastlink virtual warehouse platform.
• Opportunity - GDO Distribution Opportunity distributes books and editorial products through Italy's large-scale retail (GDO) sector, serving major supermarket and hypermarket chains with services including assortment planning, promotional management, new title selection, and shelf-space optimization in non-specialized retail environments.
• Ubik Bookstore Franchise Network Ubik is an innovative bookstore franchising network with over 150 active points of sale across Italy. Franchisees receive the Ubik brand, standardized systems, training, digital tools (IO Reader app), loyalty program (Ubikcard), and access to 150,000+ titles within 48 hours while maintaining independence in their assortment selection.
• Libraccio Bookstore Chain Libraccio, operated via DMB S.r.l., is the largest independent bookstore chain in Italy. Founded in 1979, it operates 61 points of sale across 34 cities in 7 regions, specializing in new and used books, school materials, and academic texts.
• IBS.it E-commerce Platform IBS.it (internetbookshop.it) is Italy's first e-commerce site, launched in 1998 by Informazioni Editoriali. It is the most important Italian online multistore for cultural products including books, ebooks, movies, music, games, and toys. Now operated within the Stereo Online JV.
• C&M Book Logistics C&M Book Logistics is a 50/50 joint venture between Emmelibri and Ceva Logistics managing the 'Città del Libro' logistics center in Stradella (Pavia), an 80,000 square meter facility handling 50 million books annually for Messaggerie Libri and distributed publishers. The JV is implementing technological automation for distribution logistics.
• Centro Libri Wholesale Distribution Centro Libri is a wholesale book distribution company specializing in school textbooks and general books, headquartered in Brescia, serving approximately 6,000 bookstores and stationery shops across Italy. Majority acquired by the Group in 2020.
• Scuola per Librai Umberto e Elisabetta Mauri Italy's first school for booksellers, founded in 1983 by Luciano Mauri. The school provides specialized training for aspiring booksellers and continuing professional development for established booksellers, including Venice seminars. Second only to Frankfurt in Europe as a bookseller training institution.
• Casa Editrice Nord Publishing Publisher acquired in 2002, known for blending adventure, thriller, horror and fantasy genres. Publishes authors such as Glenn Cooper, James Patterson, and James Rollins. Operates within the GeMS publishing sub-holding.
• Garzanti Publishing One of Italy's oldest and most prestigious Italian publishers, controlled since 2003 (100%). Known for literary classics, contemporary fiction and reference works including the Garzantine encyclopedias. Operates within GeMS, with Stefano Mauri as CEO and Gherardo Colombo as President.
• Adriano Salani Editore Publishing Founded in 1862 in Florence, one of the oldest active Italian publishers. Acquired by Messaggerie Italiane in 1986, Salani is known for children's books and publishes the Harry Potter series in Italy, among other internationally-known children's and fantasy authors.
• Antonio Vallardi Editore Publishing Publisher acquired in 1996, leader in general fiction and linguistics. Known for dictionaries in 50 languages and bestselling authors including Marie Kondo. Gianluca Mazzitelli serves as Amministratore Delegato and also Direttore of Duomo Ediciones.
• Ponte alle Grazie Publishing Publisher acquired in 1993, focused on literary quality, scientific dissemination, and social criticism. Publishes authors including Margaret Atwood. Operates within GeMS.
• La Coccinella Publishing Publisher founded in 1977 by Domenico Caputo, specializing in children's books and interactive publishing. Known for innovative formats such as 'Libri coi buchi' (books with holes). Acquired by the Group in 2009.
• Bollati Boringhieri Publishing Publisher founded in 1957, acquired by GeMS in 2009. Specializes in science, mythology and folklore. Known for publishing complete works of Albert Einstein, Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung.
• TEA Tascabili degli editori associati Paperback Publishing Publisher founded in 1987, specialized in affordable paperback editions with over 2,000 titles in catalog and 60 million copies sold since founding. Established as a pocket book publishing house within the Group.
• Chiarelettere Publishing Independent multimedia publisher founded in 2007, specializing in investigative journalism and pamphlets. Known for Vatican investigations by Gianluigi Nuzzi. Co-controlled by Messaggerie Italiane.
• Edigita E-book Distribution Platform First digital platform in Italy dedicated to eBook distribution, promoted jointly by Messaggerie Italiane, Feltrinelli Editore and RCS Libri at launch; GeMS increased its stake to 50% in 2016-2017, becoming the leader in digital book distribution.
• Stereo Online E-commerce Joint Venture E-commerce joint venture (70% Librerie Feltrinelli, 27% Emmelibri, 3% DMB) constituted in 2018, combining IBS.it, Libraccio.it and lafeltrinelli.it platforms. Operates Italy's leading online multistore for cultural products.
• Emme Promozione Editorial Promotion Promotional services for approximately 350 publishers distributed by Messaggerie Libri. Operates through 7 headquarters staff and a sales network of 23 field representatives covering 3000+ points of sale in 7 sales divisions. Also promotes non-book products including games and stationery.
• Duomo Ediciones Publishing (Spain) Publishing house founded in 2008 in Barcelona, Spain - GeMS's first foreign publishing operation. Publishes approximately 48 titles per year including contemporary narratives and genre fiction.
• Informazioni Editoriali Information Services Professional services for the publishing sector managing databases including Alice (catalog of Italian books in commerce), e-kitāb (catalog of Italian ebooks), Alibi (registry of Italian bookstores), and the Arianna+ integrated communication and tele-ordering system used across the Italian publishing supply chain.
• Stock Libri Out-of-Print Distribution Stock Libri is a company 50% owned by Emmelibri specializing in out-of-print book distribution through its 13,000 square meter logistics platform in Santarcangelo di Romagna, managing approximately 35,000 titles from major Italian publishers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50% of Italian books pass through Messaggerie Group
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Gruppo LibracciomajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024In 2024, Emmelibri extended its partnership with Gruppo Libraccio by acquiring control of DMB S.r.l., the holding company for the Libraccio bookstore chain. This continued development of physical retail with two established brands (Ubik and Libraccio) and distinctive business models.
• Ceva LogisticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020C&M Book Logistics was established in 2020 as a 50-50 joint venture between Emmelibri and Ceva Logistics (a leading international logistics group) to manage the 'La città del libro' logistics center in Stradella. The partnership aims to develop technological automation for distribution logistics, handling 50 million books annually.
• Gruppo FeltrinellicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Stereo Online S.r.l. was formed in 2018 as a joint venture (70% Librerie Feltrinelli, 27% Emmelibri, 3% DMB) combining the e-commerce platforms of all three groups: IBS.it, Libraccio.it, and lafeltrinelli.it. This created Italy's largest online bookselling alliance.
• Gruppo FeltrinellicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015In 2015, Emmelibri and Feltrinelli formed EmmeEffe Libri S.r.l. (70% Emmelibri, 30% Feltrinelli) combining Messaggerie Libri, Fastbook, and Opportunity with Feltrinelli's PDE distribution company. This alliance established Messaggerie as the undisputed leader in Italian book distribution. In 2016-2017, the partnership extended to e-commerce with Stereo Online JV.
• Feltrinelli EditoreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Edigita was founded in 2010 as Italy's first digital publishing platform for ebook distribution, promoted by Messaggerie Italiane, Feltrinelli Editore, and RCS Libri. By 2016-2017, GeMS increased its stake to 50% in Edigita, becoming a leader in digital book distribution.
• Giunti EditoreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009In 2009, Emmelibri and Giunti Editore formed a paritetical joint venture for commercial activities. This partnership was dissolved in 2013 as part of strategic restructuring, with Messaggerie focusing on its two core areas (Emmelibri distribution and GeMS publishing).

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Feltrinelli Group: Major Italian publisher, bookseller, and JV partner of Messaggerie Italiane. Feltrinelli operates as both competitor (PDE distribution, lafeltrinelli.it) and collaborator (EmmeEffe Libri 70/30 JV, Stereo Online 70/27/3 JV), making it the closest comparable in the Italian book platform market.
• Giunti Editore: Italian publisher and bookseller with publishing houses (Giunti, Bompiani alumni) and retail operations. Former JV partner of Emmelibri (2009-2013). Closely comparable in scope across publishing, distribution, and bookstore categories.

Broad incumbents

• Mondadori Group: Italy's largest publisher (Mondadori, Einaudi, Rizzoli, Piemme, Sperling & Kupfer) and broader media group. Comparable as the dominant Italian trade publisher with both publishing and retail operations, competing directly with GeMS for authors, market share, and shelf space.
• RCS MediaGroup: Italian media and publishing group operating RCS Libri (formerly Rizzoli Education, Adelphi Edizioni stake) and former partner in Edigita digital distribution JV. Comparable as Italian publisher with significant scale and multi-format presence.
• Hachette Livre: Largest French trade publisher (Lagardère Publishing) with extensive global operations across publishing, distribution, and retail (France's largest bookstore chains). Comparable to Messaggerie as a vertically integrated European book platform.
• Penguin Random House: World's largest trade publisher combining Penguin and Random House imprints. Comparable to GeMS in operating a portfolio of publishing imprints across genres with mass-market scale (analogous to GeMS's 11 publishing houses and 21 editorial brands).
• HarperCollins Publishers: Global book publisher (News Corp subsidiary) with imprints including Harper, William Morrow, Avon. Comparable to GeMS as a portfolio publisher with multiple legacy imprints serving diverse reader segments.
• Simon & Schuster: Major US trade publisher with imprints including Scribner, Atria, Gallery. Comparable to GeMS in operating multiple acquired imprints under a corporate umbrella serving different genres and reader demographics.
• Barnes & Noble: Largest US bookstore chain with ~600 retail locations and significant e-commerce. Comparable to Messaggerie as a vertically integrated book retailer with physical and digital channels serving a national market.

Others

• Edigita: Italian digital book distribution JV originally founded by Messaggerie Italiane, Feltrinelli, and RCS Libri. GeMS increased its stake to 50% in 2016-2017. Adjacent/ecosystem participant enabling Italian publishers' e-book distribution, with Messaggerie as both shareholder and user.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/messaggerie-italiane

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries30 records

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 Messaggerie Italiane