NeWest Press

What NeWest Press does

NeWest Press is an independent Canadian literary book publishing house founded in 1977 and headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta. The company publishes literary fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and drama by Canadian authors, with an explicit mission to amplify Western Canadian voices and underrepresented communities including Indigenous authors, people of colour, LGBTQ2S+ writers, and writers with disabilities. The press operates two sub-brands: Nunatak First Fiction (debut novels) and Barbour Books (speculative fiction, launched 2025 under editor Jenna Butler). Outputs are released in print, e-book, and audio formats.

The business is built on conventional publishing infrastructure rather than proprietary technology. Editorial, design, production, and distribution operate on standard workflows, with manuscript acquisition handled through the third-party CanSubmit platform and direct-to-consumer sales running on Shopify. NeWest generates revenue primarily through one-time book sales at wholesale discounts of 40% to trade bookstores, 46% to wholesalers, 40% to libraries, and 20% on standing orders, supplemented by government arts funding from four public sources — Canadian Heritage (Canada Book Fund), Canada Council for the Arts, Government of Alberta, and City of Edmonton via the Edmonton Arts Council.

Distribution reaches Canadian and international readers through three primary channels: a Shopify-hosted direct-to-consumer bookshop (bookshop.newestpress.com), wholesale via LitDistCo in Canada and Gazelle Books in the UK/Europe, and sales representation by the Manda Group in Canada. Trade retail placement spans Indigo large-format stores across Western Canada and a network of independent partner bookstores including Audreys Books (Edmonton), Shelf Life Books (Calgary), Pages on Kensington, Porch Light Books, and Owl's Nest. The press reaches four customer segments — general literary readers, academic institutions, libraries, and authors — with marketing driven by an active events program (book launches, literary festivals, community markets), an email newsletter, organic social media, and editorial coverage in CBC Books, The Walrus, and Read Alberta.

Name

NeWest Press

Legal name

NeWest Press

Website

https://newestpress.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Independent Canadian literary publisher founded in 1977 in Edmonton, Alberta, publishing literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama by Western Canadian and underrepresented authors. Sells print, e-book, and audio formats through its own Shopify bookshop, distributors LitDistCo and Gazelle, and bookstore chains across Canada, UK, and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB)

Keywords

• Literary book publishing
• Independent press Canada
• Western Canadian literature
• Fiction and poetry
• Book distribution services

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Physical Book Sales: NeWest Press publishes and sells physical books (trade paperbacks and hardcover) directly through their bookshop website and through wholesale/distribution channels to bookstores, libraries, and retailers. Physical book sales are the primary revenue stream.
2. E-book Sales: NeWest Press sells digital e-book versions of many of their titles through their bookshop website, offering consumers an alternative to physical books with digital delivery.
3. Audio Book Sales: Some NeWest Press titles are available as audio books, providing an additional format for consumers and a supplementary revenue stream.
4. Wholesale and Bulk Orders: NeWest Press sells books at trade discounts (40% for trade, 46% for wholesalers, 40% for libraries, 20% for standing orders) to distributors, bookstores, and libraries, both directly and through their Canadian distributor LitDistCo and UK/EU distributor Gazelle.
5. Academic/Examination Copies: NeWest Press provides desk and examination copies to university and college professors and instructors considering titles for course adoption, facilitating academic sales and course adoptions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NeWest Press is an independent Canadian literary publishing house that acquires, edits, designs, produces, and distributes literary fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and drama by Canadian authors, with a focus on Western Canadian voices and underrepresented communities. Books are sold through the press's own Shopify e-commerce bookshop, through wholesale distributors (LitDistCo in Canada, Gazelle in the UK/Europe), and through retail bookstores and libraries in print, e-book, and audio formats.

Product overview

NeWest Press is a Canadian book publisher founded in 1977, based in Edmonton, Alberta, operating as a single unified publishing house with multiple sub-brands and imprints. Their core product is publishing literary works across four main categories: literary fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and drama. The press features specialized imprints including Nunatak First Fiction (debut novels) and Barbour Books (speculative fiction). They distribute their titles in three formats: print books, ebooks, and audio books, sold through their direct-to-consumer Shopify bookshop and through wholesale distribution to bookstores, libraries, and online retailers worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Barbour Books: Speculative fiction imprint of NeWest Press publishing science fiction, fantasy, horror, and works by underrepresented voices in Canadian literature of the fantastic. Named after long-time President Douglas Barbour.
• Nunatak First Fiction

Products and services

• Literary Fiction Books
• Creative Nonfiction Books
• Poetry Books
• Drama Books
• Nunatak First Fiction Series
• Barbour Books Speculative Fiction Imprint
• NeWest Press Bookshop

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting, key partner, community and strategic.

• LitDistCocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLitDistCo (65 Quarterman Rd Unit 1, Guelph, ON N1C 0A8; phone: 800-591-6250) is NeWest Press's primary Canadian distributor. They handle wholesale orders, billing, and returns for libraries, independent retailers, and campus bookstores across Canada.
• Gazelle BookscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGazelle Books (Hightown, White Cross Mills, Lancaster UK LA1 4XS; phone: 44 1524 68765) distributes NeWest Press titles throughout the UK and Europe.
• Manda GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManda Group (664 Annette Street, Toronto, ON M6S 2C8; phone: 416-516-0911) provides Canadian sales representation for NeWest Press, facilitating trade accounts with bookstores and retailers across Canada.
• Canadian HeritagesupportingOthersCanadian Heritage (Department of Canadian Heritage) provides funding support to NeWest Press as part of the Government of Canada's Book Fund for publishing activities.
• Canada Council for the ArtssupportingOthersCanada Council for the Arts provides funding support to NeWest Press for their publishing program.
• Government of AlbertasupportingOthersThe Government of Alberta (Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women) provides funding support to NeWest Press's publishing activities.
• City of EdmontonsupportingOthersThe City of Edmonton provides funding support to NeWest Press through the Edmonton Arts Council.
• Audreys Bookskey partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAudreys Books (10702 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5J 2A7) is the official event book seller for NeWest Press and hosts numerous book launches and author events, serving as the primary Edmonton partner bookstore.
• Indigokey partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndigo features NeWest Press titles prominently at their large format stores throughout Western Canada as part of Canadian small press features, providing significant retail visibility.
• Edmonton Poetry FestivalcommunityGTM or Marketing PartnerNeWest Press partners with the Edmonton Poetry Festival for events like the Crow Said Poetry Showcase, promoting poetry titles and authors.
• LitFestcommunityGTM or Marketing PartnerNeWest Press participates in LitFest (Edmonton's annual literary festival) with author events and readings, such as the Ekphrastic Writing event featuring David Garneau and Wendy McGrath.
• Shelf Life Bookskey partnerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShelf Life Books (1302 4th Street SW, Calgary, AB T2R 0X8) hosts NeWest Press book launches, including events for Lisa Martin and Sinner's Banquet.
• Grand Night MarketcommunityGTM or Marketing PartnerNeWest Press participates regularly in the Grand Night Market in Edmonton (Happy Beer Street, 78 Ave between 99 & 100 Street), selling books and engaging with the local community at multiple events throughout summer 2026.
• Canada Book FundsupportingOthersNeWest Press receives financial support from the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund for publishing activities.
• Barbour BooksstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerBarbour Books is a new speculative fiction imprint of NeWest Press, named after long-time President Douglas Barbour. Editor Jenna Butler leads the imprint which publishes Western Canadian science fiction, fantasy, horror, and speculative fiction by underrepresented voices.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Thistledown Press: Saskatchewan-based independent literary press publishing fiction, poetry, and nonfiction with prairie/regional focus. Very similar in scale, scope, mission-driven ethos, and use of Canadian Council and Saskatchewan Arts Board funding supports.
• Freehand Books: Calgary-based independent literary press publishing fiction, poetry, and nonfiction with a focus on Canadian writers. Geographic proximity and similar Alberta/regional literary network positioning make it one of the closest geographic and mission analogues to NeWest.
• Talonbooks: Vancouver-based independent literary press known for drama, poetry, and progressive literary fiction. Comparable publishing program structure (poetry/drama/literary fiction), Canadian small-press distribution footprint, and similar government-arts council funding model.
• Brick Books: Canada's preeminent poetry publisher, based in London, Ontario. Direct overlap with NeWest's poetry program including mutual distribution, award circuit participation (Governor General's, Griffin), and shared institutional/literary-festival community presence.
• Cormorant Books: Toronto-area independent literary press publishing fiction and nonfiction with similar Canadian small-press scale, distribution through LitDistCo, and comparable literary-award participation (e.g., regional and national shortlists).
• House of Anansi Press: One of Canada's most established independent literary publishers, headquartered in Toronto. Anansi publishes literary fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and drama with a similar mission-driven focus on Canadian and diverse voices, making it the closest scale and mandate analogue to NeWest Press.
• Coach House Books: Toronto-based independent literary press known for poetry, drama, and experimental fiction. Comparable independent-press profile, similar editorial ambitions, and shared Canadian small-press distribution channels (LitDistCo, Indigo) with NeWest Press.
• Turnstone Press: Winnipeg-based Canadian independent literary press publishing fiction, poetry, drama, and nonfiction. Comparable prairie-press positioning, government-arts funding reliance, and literary-award participation to NeWest Press.
• ECW Press: Toronto-based independent press publishing literary fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and drama. Similar diversified genre and format approach (print/digital/audio) with parallel Canadian wholesale and retail distribution. Closely comparable in scope, channels, and target audiences.
• Arsenal Pulp Press: Vancouver-based independent literary press with a strong social-justice, queer, and BIPOC mandate across fiction and nonfiction. Direct editorial alignment with NeWest's commitment to diverse and underrepresented voices, plus shared Canadian indie distribution channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NeWestPress
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGcaPs7xBVaaDsd65xboCnw
• Facebookfacebook.com/newestpress.page
• Instagraminstagram.com/new.press
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newest-press-ltd-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 NeWest Press