Trotsch Verlag
Trötsch Verlag is a family-owned German children's publisher and licensed character merchandise company, publishing 300+ new products annually across books, school supplies, calendars, and gifts, serving German retailers and consumers via B2B wholesale, webshop, and three retail stores.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersKönigs Wusterhausen, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Trotsch Verlag does
Trötsch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned German children's publishing company founded in 1996 by Andreas Trötsch and headquartered in Gosen-Neu Zittau, Brandenburg. The company specializes in children's books, licensed character merchandise, school supplies, calendars, and seasonal/gift items, publishing over 300 new products per year across six core product lines. Its portfolio is anchored by long-running licensing agreements for iconic European children's characters, most notably Der kleine Maulwurf (The Little Mole, created in 1957 by Zdeněk Miler), Die Maus, Unser Sandmännchen, Pettersson und Findus, Bobo Siebenschläfer, Der kleine König, Jan & Henry, and Shaun das Schaf (via Aardman Animations).
The business operates without proprietary technology platforms; it runs two standard e-commerce storefronts (a B2B dealer portal at b2b.troetsch-shop.de and a consumer webshop at www.troetsch-shop.de) and distributes from a dedicated warehouse and logistics facility in Niederlehme (Königs Wusterhausen). The company does not offer public APIs or mobile applications and has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Pricing for books follows the German Buchpreisbindungsgesetz (book price binding law), and B2B pricing is quote-based through the dealer portal.
Trötsch serves a dual B2B and B2C market. On the B2B side, it sells to retailers (Buchhandel), stationery and toy shops, press distributors, and retail chains (Handelsketten) across Germany and internationally, supported by a dedicated trade sales team and presence at six major German trade fairs (Leipzig Book Fair, Spielwarenmesse Nuremberg, Cadeaux Leipzig, among others). On the B2C side, the company operates three 'Maulwurf und mehr'/'Maus&Mehr' retail stores (Leipzig, Cologne acquired 2019, Dresden opened November 2025) and sells directly via its consumer webshop. A 2026 strategic partnership with Radio Teddy extends its licensed characters into audio media. End consumers include children (infants through primary school age), parents and grandparents, students, and gift-buying households.
Trotsch Verlag firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Trotsch Verlag
- Legal name
- Trötsch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://troetsch-verlag.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Trötsch Verlag is a family-owned German children's publisher and licensed character merchandise company, publishing 300+ new products annually across books, school supplies, calendars, and gifts, serving German retailers and consumers via B2B wholesale, webshop, and three retail stores.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Trotsch Verlag industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Book Retailers and News Dealers (45921), Book, Periodical, and Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers (424920), Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Book Printing (2732), Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399), Blankbooks, Looseleaf Binders & Bookbindg & Relatd Work (2780)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Children’s Nonfiction Educational (Science, History, Nature) (EDAGAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA), Children’s Books & Educational Readers Retail (CRALAAAD), Book & Periodical Wholesalers (Trade Distribution) (MPAJAKAA)
Keywords
Where Trotsch Verlag is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Königs Wusterhausen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Trotsch Verlag business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Product Sales - Children's Books and Publishing: One-time sales of children's books, coloring books, puzzle books, sound books, board books, and educational materials. The company publishes over 300 new releases annually across various product categories.
- Licensed Merchandise Sales: Sales of products featuring licensed children's characters including plush toys, stationery, gift items, calendars, and seasonal items. Products span multiple brands: Die Maus, Der kleine Maulwurf, Unser Sandmännchen, Jan & Henry, Pettersson und Findus, Der kleine König, Bobo Siebenschläfer, Shaun das Schaf.
- Calendar Sales: Sales of wall calendars, pocket calendars, tear-off calendars, bookmark calendars, and planners for various audiences including students, families, and seniors.
- School Supplies Sales: Sales of student planners, homework books, exercise books, school bags, pencil cases, and school-related stationery products.
- Retail Store Operations: Company-operated retail stores 'Maulwurf und mehr' and 'Maus&Mehr' selling directly to consumers, featuring licensed character merchandise, books, and gift items.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard product pricing (quote-based for B2B) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Trotsch Verlag product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Trötsch Verlag is a German children's publishing house that develops, publishes, and distributes children's books, licensed character merchandise, calendars, school supplies, gift items, and seasonal (Christmas) products. The portfolio spans six product ranges and features iconic licensed characters including Der kleine Maulwurf, Die Maus, Unser Sandmännchen, Pettersson und Findus, Der kleine König, Bobo Siebenschläfer, Jan & Henry, and Shaun das Schaf. The company publishes over 300 new releases per year and sells to German retailers, wholesalers, and chain customers via B2B channels, plus directly to consumers through a webshop and three physical retail stores.
Product overview
Trötsch Verlag is a German children's publishing company offering a diversified portfolio centered on licensed and original children's products. The portfolio consists of six main product lines: Kinderbuchsortiment (children's books including board books, sound books, and activity books), Lizenzsortiment (licensed character products featuring iconic characters like Der kleine Maulwurf, Die Maus, Unser Sandmännchen, Pettersson und Findus, Der kleine König, Bobo Siebenschläfer, Jan & Henry, and Shaun das Schaf), Schulsortiment (school supplies including homework books and student planners), Kalendersortiment (calendars and planners), Geschenksortiment (gift items and plush toys), and Weihnachtssortiment (Christmas seasonal products). The company also operates physical retail stores called "Maulwurf und mehr" in Leipzig, Cologne, and Dresden, representing one of the most important licensed product distributors for the little mole character.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kinderbuchsortiment (Children's Book Range)
Companies that use Trotsch Verlag
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Trotsch Verlag technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Trotsch Verlag partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Radio TeddycoreStrategic 2026 partnership with Radio Teddy for audio content featuring Trötsch Verlag characters. Content will be accessible via FM, DAB+, smart speakers, web, app, and cable network. Represents the company's expansion into audio media in 2026.
- Zdeněk Miler (Licensor)coreTrötsch Verlag is one of the most important licensees for 'Der kleine Maulwurf' (The Little Mole), created by Czech animator Zdeněk Miler. The character was first introduced in 1957 and has been broadcast in over 80 countries. Trötsch publishes books, merchandise, and licensed products featuring the character.
- Aardman AnimationscoreLicensed partner for Shaun das Schaf (Shaun the Sheep), the British stop-motion animated series produced by Aardman Animations. Trötsch publishes books, puzzles, stickers, and magnetic products featuring Shaun and his flock.
- Leipziger BuchmesseminorAnnual participation in Leipzig Book Fair, including special anniversary exhibitions such as the 60th birthday celebration for Der kleine Maulwurf in 2017 with a 30 m² themed stand.
- Spielwarenmesse NürnbergminorAnnual participation at Spielwarenmesse (Toy Fair) in Nuremberg with exhibition stands showcasing licensed character products.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Trotsch Verlag competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tessloff Verlag: German children's nonfiction and educational publisher (Was ist Was, etc.). Comparable in children's educational publishing, school-age readers, and German-market focus.
- Carlsen Verlag: Major German children's book publisher (part of Bonnier). Directly comparable in core children's trade publishing, though at substantially larger scale and with stronger literary IP focus.
- Coppenrath Verlag: German family-owned publisher of children's books, calendars, gift items, and licensed merchandise — the closest direct comparable to Trötsch across product mix, channels, and German SMB scale.
- Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag: German children's book publisher (including picture books and licensed characters such as Pettersson und Findus). Directly comparable in trade children's publishing and German-language market.
- HABA: German family-owned maker of children's toys, games, and books. Highly comparable to Trötsch in target audience, family-owned German SMB profile, and multi-category children's product strategy.
- Arena Verlag: German children's book publisher with picture books, novels, and licensed character titles. Comparable in core trade publishing activity for the German children's market.
- Loewe Verlag: German children's book publisher with a broad portfolio of fiction and nonfiction for young readers. Comparable in core children's trade publishing for the German market.
Broad incumbents
- Ravensburger: Large family-owned German games, puzzles, and children's book company. Comparable in product categories (children's books, games, gifts) and family-owned German identity, but operates at much greater scale and breadth.
- Kosmos Verlag: Established German publisher of games, science kits, and children's books. Comparable in children's publishing and German trade distribution but is broader and more game-focused.
Emerging players
- Alpha Edition: German calendar and gift publisher. Comparable specifically to Trötsch's calendar and seasonal gift categories, though narrower in product scope.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Trotsch Verlag social profiles
Digital presenceTrotsch Verlag financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Trotsch Verlag leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Trotsch Verlag subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Trotsch Verlag funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Trotsch Verlag 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 Trotsch Verlag
What does Trotsch Verlag do?
Trötsch Verlag is a German children's publishing house that develops, publishes, and distributes children's books, licensed character merchandise, calendars, school supplies, gift items, and seasonal (Christmas) products. The portfolio spans six product ranges and features iconic licensed characters including Der kleine Maulwurf, Die Maus, Unser Sandmännchen, Pettersson und Findus, Der kleine König, Bobo Siebenschläfer, Jan & Henry, and Shaun das Schaf. The company publishes over 300 new releases per year and sells to German retailers, wholesalers, and chain customers via B2B channels, plus directly to consumers through a webshop and three physical retail stores.
Is Trotsch Verlag a public or private company?
Trotsch Verlag is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Trotsch Verlag founded?
Trotsch Verlag was founded in 1996. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Trotsch Verlag based?
Trotsch Verlag is headquartered in Königs Wusterhausen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Trotsch Verlag make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Product Sales - Children's Books and Publishing is the primary driver. The others are licensed Merchandise Sales, calendar Sales, school Supplies Sales and retail Store Operations.
Who are Trotsch Verlag's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tessloff Verlag, Carlsen Verlag, Coppenrath Verlag, Thienemann-Esslinger Verlag, HABA, Arena Verlag and Loewe Verlag. Broad incumbents are Ravensburger and Kosmos Verlag. Alpha Edition is listed as an emerging player.
Does Trotsch Verlag have an API?
No public API is recorded for Trotsch Verlag.
What industry is Trotsch Verlag in?
Trotsch Verlag's product category is Children's Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGAIAC, Children’s Nonfiction Educational (Science, History, Nature), with a secondary code of MPAJAAAA, General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction). Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.