What Frisk Forlag does

Frisk Forlag AS is an independent Norwegian book publisher headquartered in Stavanger, founded in 2013 and operating with 11–50 employees. The company publishes a Norwegian-language catalog of approximately 154 titles across 13 categories centered on health, nutrition, mental health, parenting, women's health, training, and lifestyle. Its core product is physical books, with a small audiobook extension of selected titles; ancillary products include the Friskpodden podcast featuring catalog authors and Smakebiter, a content-sampling platform that publishes free excerpts from books. The technology stack is a standard WooCommerce/WordPress e-commerce site at friskforlag.no with self-serve checkout, supporting Norwegian payment methods (Vipps, Klarna), a 14-day newsletter free trial, and 1–4 day domestic shipping with free fulfillment from 299 NOK.

The business operates as a pure direct-to-consumer publisher with no third-party retail or marketplace distribution. Books are priced between 179 and 500 NOK per title (children's books ~299 NOK, most cookbooks and health titles ~399–479 NOK, audiobooks ~199 NOK), generating one-time-purchase revenue. A newsletter membership tier ("Frisk-gjengen") with a monthly 1,000 NOK gift-card drawing functions as a retention and re-engagement layer. Marketing is multi-channel: the own-site storefront for bottom-of-funnel conversion, email/newsletter for mid-funnel loyalty, an author-driven organic social layer (Instagram authors with 50K–350K followers), and podcast and content-sample channels for top-of-funnel awareness.

The publisher is privately held, with no evidence of external investment, M&A, parent-company ownership, or public listing. Geographic scope is exclusively Norwegian. There are no disclosed founders or executives in the source data, and no financial disclosures (revenue, valuation) are available. Authors include Norwegian clinicians, psychologists, and influencers (e.g., Charlotte Mjelde, Halvor Bakke, Trond-Viggo Torgersen, Kristine Weber) whose audiences function as a built-in acquisition channel for each title launch.

Name

Frisk Forlag

Legal name

Frisk Forlag AS

Website

https://friskforlag.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Frisk Forlag AS is a privately held Norwegian book publisher (founded 2013, Stavanger) that direct-to-consumer publishes ~154 Norwegian-language titles across health, nutrition, mental health, parenting, women's health, and lifestyle, supported by a podcast, a content-sample hub, and a newsletter membership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Stavanger

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Physical Book Sales: One-time purchase model for physical books. Individual book prices range from approximately 299-479 NOK. The catalog contains approximately 154 titles across 13+ categories including cookbooks, health, mental health, parenting, and lifestyle. Books are sold directly through the e-commerce website with free shipping from 299 NOK.
2. Audiobook Sales: Audiobook versions of select titles are sold separately. Audiobooks include titles like Vagusnerven, Den lille boken som kurerer sterk angst, Myke bein, and others. Price points appear similar to physical books with audiobooks listed at 199 NOK for some titles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Frisk Forlag is a Norwegian-language trade publisher that produces, markets, and sells physical and audio books across health, wellness, mental health, parenting, women's health, training, diet, and lifestyle categories. Sales are conducted directly through its own Norwegian e-commerce website (friskforlag.no) with home delivery and Norwegian payment options such as Vipps and Klarna.

Product overview

Frisk Forlag is a Norwegian publishing house specializing in health, wellness, and lifestyle books. The portfolio includes cookbooks (health-focused, gluten-free, airfryer, sourdough), body and health books (pain management, injury prevention, heart health), mental health and self-development titles, children's books (the popular Felix series), parenting guides, training books, women's health books (PCOS, endometriosis, fertility), grief and relationships books, audiobooks of selected titles, and lifestyle/hobby books. The company also produces a podcast (Friskpodden) and a content preview platform (Smakebiter). The catalog contains approximately 154 books across 13 main categories, with strong focus on evidence-based health information from qualified healthcare professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Friskpodden: A podcast by Frisk forlag featuring conversations with authors about their books and health topics

Products and services

• Cookbooks (Kokebøker) Health-focused cookbook product line covering airfryer recipes, sourdough bread, salads, soups, protein-rich meals, PCOS-friendly recipes, gluten-free baking, and other dietary-specific cooking for Norwegian consumers. Books are available as physical titles and as audiobooks for selected entries.
• Body and Health Books (Kropp og helse) Books on physical health topics aimed at Norwegian readers, including musculoskeletal health, pain management, injury prevention, running, heart health, and cancer guidance.
• Mental Health and Self-Development Books (Mental helse og selvutvikling) Books on mental health and self-development for Norwegian readers, covering anxiety, depression, stress, grief, relationships, and personal growth. Includes titles on attachment patterns and communication in relationships.
• Parents and Children Books (Foreldre og barn) Books for Norwegian parents and children covering child development, emotional intelligence, parenting strategies, sibling dynamics, baby food preparation, and family relationships. Includes the Felix series of children's picture books on emotions, conflict, and courage.
• Training Books (Trening) Books on training and exercise for Norwegian readers, including bodyweight training, sling training, injury-free running and strength training, and structured running programs.
• Women's Health Books (Kvinnehelse) Books focused on Norwegian women's health topics including PCOS, endometriosis, adenomyosis, fertility, pregnancy and birth preparation, postpartum mental health, menopause (hetetokter), and women over 50.
• Audiobooks (Lydbøker) Audiobook versions of selected Frisk Forlag titles, sold individually as digital downloads via the e-commerce site. Audiobooks listed at price points such as 199 NOK and cover titles including vagus nerve health, anxiety, parenting, eating timing, PCOS, endometriosis, grief, cancer handbook, the Felix children's series, relationships, depression, and adoption stories.
• Felix Children's Book Series (Felix-serien) A series of Norwegian children's picture books by author Charlotte Mjelde and illustrator Camilla Billett covering emotional topics for children including feelings, conflict, and courage. Sold as standalone titles within the Foreldre og barn category, typically at 299 NOK per book.
• Frisk-gjengen Newsletter Membership Email newsletter membership ("Frisk-gjengen") with a 14-day free trial and ongoing subscription, providing members with tips, discounts on books, exclusive content, and entry into monthly 1000 NOK gift card drawings. Designed as a retention and engagement program for Norwegian book buyers.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Det Norske Samlaget: Norwegian publisher with a non-fiction and lifestyle list serving the domestic market. Comparable as a Norwegian-language peer, though with stronger cultural/non-fiction emphasis.
• Norstedts: Leading Swedish publisher covering non-fiction, lifestyle, and health genres in a neighboring Nordic market. Comparable in business model and editorial mix, though operating in Sweden rather than Norway.

Broad incumbents

• Bonniers: Major Swedish/Nordic publishing group with broad lifestyle, health, and biography lists. Comparable as a Scandinavian incumbent competing for shared author and consumer attention.
• Gyldendal Norsk Forlag: Largest Norwegian publisher with an extensive non-fiction list including health, lifestyle, mental health, and biography titles. Comparable as the dominant incumbent competing for the same Norwegian-language consumer.
• Aschehoug: One of Norway's largest publishing houses, with general fiction and non-fiction across many of the same lifestyle, health, and biography categories. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for the same authors and Norwegian consumer book spend.
• Cappelen Damm: Major Norwegian publisher with broad lifestyle, health, and general non-fiction coverage, plus the Storytel audiobook platform. Comparable for its overlap in Norwegian-language health/lifestyle titles and audiobook distribution.
• Penguin Random House: World's largest trade publisher with extensive lifestyle, health, and self-help lists including Norwegian-language editions. Comparable as a global incumbent whose backlist and marketing scale dwarf Frisk Forlag.
• HarperCollins: Global trade publisher with significant lifestyle, wellness, and self-help coverage. Comparable for genre overlap and the platform risk it represents as a potential acquirer or competitor for international rights.

Direct peers

• Thieme: International health-focused publisher producing books for clinicians and consumers across medical specialties. Comparable for its health-domain editorial focus, though operating globally and at much larger scale.
• Kagge Forlag: Norwegian independent publisher with a comparable scale and diversified non-fiction/lifestyle catalog, including health, philosophy, and adventure titles. Directly comparable as a small, founder-driven Norwegian imprint serving the same D2C and bookstore consumer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/friskforlag
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/frisk-forlag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Frisk Forlag