What Coppenrath Verlag does

Coppenrath Verlag GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned German publishing house headquartered in Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, tracing its origins to 1768 and owned by the Hölker family since 1977/1978. The company publishes children's books, picture books, gift books, novelty books, Advent calendars, cookbooks, and stationery, organized across multiple imprints: Coppenrath Verlag (core publishing), Edition Die Spiegelburg (non-book products such as plush toys and accessories established 1992), Hölker Verlag (cookbooks), and Bohem Press (distributed picture books since 2012). Core proprietary characters include Felix der Hase (7+ million books sold worldwide over 30+ years), Prinzessin Lillifee, Käpt'n Sharky, Furzipups, and Der Grolltroll. The technology base is publishing and product development rather than digital platforms, with a 'BuchBONUS' feature adding digital supplementary content to physical books.

The business model operates across five revenue streams: physical book sales, non-book product sales (plush toys, accessories, gift items via Die Spiegelburg), licensing royalties from external manufacturers using Coppenrath characters, foreign rights and coedition sales to international publishers, and bespoke B2B customized products for corporate clients. Distribution spans a self-serve B2B dealer portal (b2b.coppenrath.de) for trade customers, regional sales representatives across DACH markets, international distribution partners in 30+ countries, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce via spiegelburg-shop.de. The company employs 180+ people at Münster and operates three wholly-owned subsidiaries (Coppenrath Online, Spiegelburg International, Coppenrath Distribution) to manage e-commerce, international sales, and logistics. Strategic audio partnerships with EUROPA (Sony Music Family Entertainment) since 2016 have produced 500+ million audio streams and 670,000 CD sales across adapted book brands.

Customer segmentation spans end consumers (children 0–3, children 4–10, young adults, and adults seeking gift books and lifestyle products), retail trade partners (bookstores, toy stores, gift shops), international distributors, and B2B clients (trading companies, promotional item distributors, corporate customers). The company runs active multi-channel marketing across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, supplemented by blogger/influencer programs, a corporate blog, email newsletters, and participation in major trade fairs (Frankfurter Buchmesse, Spielwarenmesse Nürnberg, Nordstil, TrendSet, BuchWien). Recent strategic moves include capital investment in the Speicher III building (2022), international distribution expansion into Brazil, Bulgaria, Namibia, and Peru (2025), and continued product diversification through new series such as Sportstars erzählen (February 2026).

Name

Coppenrath Verlag

Legal name

Coppenrath Verlag GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://coppenrath.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1768

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Coppenrath Verlag is a family-owned German publishing house founded in 1768, specializing in children's books, gift books, cookbooks, and character-driven non-book products (plush toys, accessories) under imprints including Die Spiegelburg and Hölker Verlag, distributed across 30+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Book Printing (2732)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Hardcover & Premium Editions Publishing (MPAJAAAE), Audiobook Publishers (Trade & Consumer) (MPAJAIAA)

Keywords

• Children's book publishing
• Picture books
• Gift books
• Character licensing
• Plush toys

Headquarters

HQ city

Münster

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Sales of physical books including children's books, picture books, novelty books, gift books, cookbooks, and specialty editions (Schmuckausgaben). Products sold through retail channels and directly to consumers via spiegelburg-shop.de.
2. Non-Book Products: Sales of plush toys, accessories, stationery, and gift items under the 'Die Spiegelburg' edition that extend book characters into physical products. Includes BabyGlück, school accessories, bags, and decorative items.
3. Licensing Royalties: Revenue from licensing characters (Felix der Hase, Prinzessin Lillifee, Käpt'n Sharky, Grolltroll, T-Rex World, Pferdefreunde, Furzipups) to external manufacturers for toys, textiles, home goods, and other product categories. First licensing partnerships started in 1994.
4. Customized Products: Bespoke product development for B2B clients including trading companies, promotional item distributors, and corporate customers seeking customized versions of Coppenrath products.
5. Foreign Rights and Coedition Sales: Revenue from selling translation rights and coedition rights to international publishers. Characters like Furzipups have sold over 1 million books internationally with rights sold to China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, and other countries.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Coppenrath Verlag is a family-owned German publishing house that produces children's books, picture books, gift books, novelty books, Advent calendars, and cookbooks. The company extends its owned character IP (Felix der Hase, Prinzessin Lillifee, Käpt'n Sharky, etc.) into non-book products under the Die Spiegelburg brand, including plush toys, stationery, and accessories. It also licenses characters to third-party manufacturers and operates a B2B bespoke product division called Coppenrath Customized.

Product overview

Coppenrath Verlag is a family-owned publishing group comprising multiple imprints and sub-brands. The core publishing business (Coppenrath Verlag) focuses on children's books and gift products featuring iconic characters like Felix der Hase (7+ million books sold), Prinzessin Lillifee, and Käpt'n Sharky. The Edition Die Spiegelburg (established 1992) extends the book world into non-book products including plush toys, stationery, and accessories. The Hölker Verlag imprint specializes in cookbooks with trend-conscious design, while Bohem Press provides distribution for artistic picture books. Product portfolio spans board books and plush toys for babies, picture books, activity books, and novels for children, plus gift books, cookbooks, stationery, and decor for adults. The company operates the Spiegelburg online shop and B2B dealer portal for trade customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Coppenrath Verlag: The main publishing brand producing children's books, gift books, novelty books, Advent calendars, and fine stationery.
• Die Spiegelburg (Edition)
• Hölker Verlag
• Bohem Press

Products and services

• Coppenrath Verlag (Main Publishing Program)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7 million Felix der Hase books sold worldwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• GehörGäng (Die Berliner Hörbuchinitiative)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Audio book initiative that produced Jochen Till's 'Memento Monstrum' as an audiobook. Founded in 2020 in Berlin by cultural creators bundling their skills to produce audiobooks and podcasts.
• EUROPA (Sony Music Family Entertainment)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Strategic audio partnership since 2016 transforming popular book brands into digital audio content. Successfully navigated the shift from CD sales to streaming, achieving over 500 million streams and 670,000 CD sales. Key brands include Princess Lillifee, Captain Sharky, Einhorn-Paradies, Der Grolltroll, and Lenny Hunter. Celebrating 10-year anniversary and 500 million streams milestone.
• Bohem Press GmbHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2012Exclusive distribution partnership since 2012 for Bohem Press picture books in Germany. Bohem Press, a Swiss publishing house with 40 years of tradition, publishes artistically exceptional picture books with special attention to artistic aspects and special design.
• Rowohlt MedienagenturcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedia agency representing Coppenrath's film and theater rights. Located in Berlin (Büro Berlin, Kreuzbergstraße 30, 10965 Berlin). Handles inquiries for film adaptations of Coppenrath books.
• International Distribution NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of over 30 international distribution partners covering Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, UK, USA, Japan, Korea, Brazil, Chile, and many other countries. Partners include Narpex BV (Belgium), Spelendgoed (Netherlands), Old Teddy's Company (Spain), Borella S.r.l. (Italy), Longton Designs Ltd. (UK/USA), Pikku Kenguru Oy (Finland), and others.
• MinaLima (Film/Stage Adaptation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning illustration studio that created the special edition of Frankenstein published by Coppenrath, which received 'Kröte des Monats' recognition.
• Lackaffen.deminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban art collective from Münster that collaborated with Coppenrath on the 'Meine Freunde' (My Friends) guest book, creating a unique product featuring street art aesthetics.
• Uni Baskets MünsterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal basketball team partnership where Coppenrath designed custom merchandise including hoodies, supporting regional sports sponsorship.
• SC Preußen MünsterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal football club sponsorship and content collaboration. Dr. Lambert Scheer serves on the supporting association board. Partnership includes the 3rd Preußen-Kids-Tag event.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Arena Verlag: German children's and YA publisher with broad portfolio including picture books, novels, and audio plays. Comparable German-market mid-size publisher with similar multi-channel distribution.
• Loewe Verlag: German children's book publisher with strong picture book and YA series portfolio. Comparable in scale, target segments, and German retail distribution model.
• Carlsen Verlag: German children's book publisher (part of Bonnier) producing picture books, middle-grade, and YA titles with character-driven franchises. Closest direct competitor in German-speaking children's publishing, sharing book format, distribution model, and target audience.
• Usborne Publishing: UK-based family-owned children's book publisher with strong picture book, novelty, and gift book portfolio. Direct comparable in family ownership, premium children's formats, and international coedition strategy.
• Friedrich Oetinger Verlag: Independent German children's publisher with character-driven picture books and gift book editions. Direct comparable in family-owned publishing, premium formats (Schmuckausgaben), and trade distribution.
• Thienemann Verlag: Long-established German children's book publisher known for picture books, gift books, and character series (Wendy). Direct peer in trade children's publishing with similar premium book positioning and family-owned legacy.

Broad incumbents

• Egmont Publishing: Major Scandinavian-owned children's publisher with extensive character IP across books and licensed products. Larger incumbent with overlapping picture book and character licensing business but broader geographic and portfolio scope.
• Ravensburger: Large German family-owned games, puzzles, and children's products company. Broader incumbent with overlapping character-driven children's product ecosystem, including licensed plush/books, but with a much wider product portfolio.

Emerging players

• HABA: German family-owned maker of children's toys, games, and wooden products with adjacent books and character products. Comparable family-owned German children's brand with licensing and product-extension model, but primarily non-book.
• Tonies: Audio content platform for children with branded character audio figures. Adjacent to Coppenrath's audio strategy (EUROPA partnership), representing a different model of audio-for-kids content distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/coppenrathverlag
• Facebookfacebook.com/coppenrathverlag
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/76147164/admin/dashboard
• Instagraminstagram.com/coppenrathverlag
• TikToktiktok.com/@coppenrathverlag
• Pinterestde.pinterest.com/spiegelburgshop
• Xx.com/coppenrathvrlg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Coppenrath Verlag