Roli Books
Roli Books is an Indian publishing house that publishes and distributes illustrated books on art, architecture, design, photography, biography, and history. It serves collectors, academic institutions, trade customers, and premium consumers through its CMYK retail chain and exclusive India distribution partnerships with 100+ international publishers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersNew Delhi, India
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Roli Books does
Roli Books is an Indian publishing house founded in 1986 and headquartered in New Delhi, specializing in illustrated and visual books across art, architecture, design, photography, biography, history, and Indian cultural heritage. The company operates a wholly-owned retail sub-brand called CMYK Bookstore, with flagship locations in Delhi and Mumbai and additional CMYK Corner installations inside lifestyle retailers in Bengaluru, Chennai, Pondicherry, and Mumbai. Its product portfolio comprises 14+ genre categories spanning trade books (₹175–₹2,995), premium illustrated hardcovers (₹2,500–₹5,995), and limited-edition collector's artist books (₹50,000–₹40 lakh).
The business operates a dual revenue model combining proprietary publishing and exclusive India-wide distribution. As the largest distributor of illustrated books in India, Roli exclusively represents 100+ international publishers including Thames & Hudson, Phaidon, Abrams, Steidl, MoMA, and V&A, servicing bookshops, libraries, academic institutions, online retailers, concept stores, and galleries across six cities. International reach is enabled through a partnership with ACC Art Books for UK/Europe and the USA. The company has no proprietary technology platform; commerce is conducted via rolibooks.com, cmykbookstore.com, and physical retail. Additional service lines include bespoke publishing for corporate and institutional clients.
Roli Books serves a hybrid customer mix: affluent art collectors and premium retail consumers purchasing coffee-table and gift books; academic institutions and libraries requiring illustrated references; trade customers (bookshops, museums, galleries) sourcing through wholesale; and corporate clients commissioning bespoke publishing projects. The company is privately held, operates with 51–100 employees, and has no disclosed external funding or parent ownership. Marketing relies on a digital magazine featuring author interviews, multi-platform social media presence, press coverage in Indian and international outlets, and event activation at India Art Fair.
Roli Books firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Roli Books
- Legal name
- Roli Books Pvt. Ltd
- Website
- https://rolibooks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Roli Books is an Indian publishing house that publishes and distributes illustrated books on art, architecture, design, photography, biography, and history. It serves collectors, academic institutions, trade customers, and premium consumers through its CMYK retail chain and exclusive India distribution partnerships with 100+ international publishers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Roli Books industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (51313), Book, Periodical, and Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers (424920), Book Retailers and News Dealers (45921)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Book Printing (2732)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Art, Photography & Illustrated Books Publishing (MPAJAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA), Book Trade Wholesale (Print Books) (CRAOALAA), Cookbooks, Food & Drink Publishing (MPAJAAAG)
Keywords
Where Roli Books is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Delhi
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices5 records
Markets served
Roli Books business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Revenue from publishing and selling books across various categories including art, architecture, biography, history, photography, and design through owned retail stores and online platform.
- Distribution Services: As the largest distributor of illustrated books in India, Roli Books generates revenue by exclusively representing and distributing books from international publishers including Thames & Hudson, Phaidon, Abrams, and others across their India-wide network.
- Retail Operations: Revenue from operating CMYK Bookstore retail locations including flagship stores in Delhi and Mumbai, and CMYK Corner partnerships with lifestyle retailers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Trade Books |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium Illustrated Books |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Collector's Edition Artist's Books |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Roli Books product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Roli Books is an Indian publishing house that designs, produces, and sells illustrated books across categories including Architecture, Art, Biography, Design, History, Photography, Travel, and Current Affairs. The company also operates the CMYK Bookstore retail chain for art and design books and provides bespoke corporate publishing services along with India-wide distribution for international publishers such as Thames & Hudson, Phaidon, and Abrams.
Product overview
Roli Books is an Indian publishing house with a 40-year history, operating primarily as a book publisher and retailer with multiple branded retail channels. The core offering consists of published books across diverse categories (Architecture, Art, Biography, Business, Current Affairs, Design, Fiction, Food & Drinks, History, Performing Arts, Photography, Sports, Travel). The company operates through three main retail sub-brands: CMYK Book Store (standalone flagship stores and online), CMYK Boutiques (premium hotel/concept store locations), and CMYK Corners (partner retail installations). Additional services include Bespoke Publishing (custom corporate publishing) and Distribution Services (representing international publishers in India). The product portfolio spans both self-published titles and distributed international publishers including Thames & Hudson, Phaidon, Abrams, Steidl, and MoMA.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CMYK Bookstore: Retail bookstore chain specializing in art and design books, with flagship stores in Delhi and Mumbai, and additional corners in Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, and Pondicherry.
- CMYK
Products and services
- Roli Books Trade Catalogue
Quantifiable outcome
- Largest distributor of illustrated books in India with network across 6 major cities
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Roli Books
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Roli Books technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Roli Books partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Thames & HudsoncoreExclusive distribution partnership in India for one of world's leading illustrated book publishers. Thames & Hudson publishes books on art, architecture, design, photography, fashion, film, and music.
- PhaidoncoreExclusive distribution partnership in India for Phaidon, a prestigious publisher of books on art, architecture, design, photography, culinary arts, and popular culture.
- Abrams BookscoreExclusive distribution partnership in India for Abrams, a leading publisher of illustrated books across art, photography, cooking, craft, sports, and popular culture.
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)flagshipDistribution of MoMA publications and exhibition catalogs in India, leveraging the museum's prestige in modern and contemporary art.
- Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)flagshipDistribution of V&A publishing content in India, including books on decorative arts, design, fashion, and museum collections.
- SteidlcoreExclusive distribution for Steidl, renowned for photography books and collaborations with major photographers and artists.
- ACC Art Books (UK/Europe)coreInternational sales partner handling Roli Books distribution in United Kingdom and Europe from their office in Sandy Lane, Old Martlesham, Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK.
- ACC Art Books (USA)coreInternational sales partner handling Roli Books distribution in USA from their office at 6 West 18th Street, Suite 4B, New York, USA.
- The Purple Turtles/BeruruminorCMYK Corner partnership at The Purple Turtles flagship store in Bengaluru's Indira Nagar, combining home decor and design books.
- Amethyst ChennaiminorCMYK Corner partnership at the iconic Amethyst lifestyle boutique in Chennai, featuring art, fashion, café, and now books.
- Chintzboutique PondicherryminorCMYK Corner partnership at Chintz boutique in Pondicherry's White Town, combining designer clothing and home accessories with art books.
- Quorum Club/Café ReedminorCMYK Bookstore corner at Café Reed, part of the exclusive Quorum Club in Mumbai's Lower Parel, combining dining, shopping, and art gallery.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Roli Books competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Roli Books social profiles
Digital presenceRoli Books financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Roli Books leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Roli Books subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Roli Books funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Roli Books 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 Roli Books
What does Roli Books do?
Roli Books is an Indian publishing house that designs, produces, and sells illustrated books across categories including Architecture, Art, Biography, Design, History, Photography, Travel, and Current Affairs. The company also operates the CMYK Bookstore retail chain for art and design books and provides bespoke corporate publishing services along with India-wide distribution for international publishers such as Thames & Hudson, Phaidon, and Abrams.
Is Roli Books a public or private company?
Roli Books is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Roli Books founded?
Roli Books was founded in 1986. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Roli Books based?
Roli Books is headquartered in New Delhi, India, in the Asia region.
How does Roli Books make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are distribution Services and retail Operations.
Does Roli Books have an API?
No public API is recorded for Roli Books.
What industry is Roli Books in?
Roli Books's product category is Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAF, Art, Photography & Illustrated Books Publishing, with a secondary code of MPAJAAAA, General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction). Its NAICS code is 51313 and its SIC code is 2731.