Bess Press

What Bess Press does

Bess Press is a privately held, family-owned independent book publishing company headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, founded in 1979 by Buddy Bess and Dr. Ann Rayson. The company specializes in culturally authentic content for Hawaiian and Pacific Island communities, publishing across a catalog of 68 distinct collections covering Hawaiian Studies, Pacific Island Studies, children's literature (board books, picture books, readers, middle grade), fiction, nonfiction, biography, comics/graphic novels, legends and folklore, field guides, multilingual and language learning materials (including Hawaiian and Pidgin), and gift items. The company's core technology is traditional publishing—an integrated stack spanning content acquisition, editorial, design, production, and distribution—augmented by a Shopify e-commerce storefront and the Moana Ākea digital learning platform.

Bess Press operates four revenue streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales (retail prices $7.95–$225), wholesale distribution to bookstores and gift shops (40% returnable or 45% non-returnable discounts, $150 minimum order), dedicated educational/institutional sales to schools and libraries, and a company-owned physical retail bookstore called 'da Shop: books + curiosities' in Honolulu. The company serves three primary customer segments: educational institutions (primary), retail consumers, and retailers/wholesalers, with a go-to-market approach combining community engagement at cultural festivals, direct field sales to schools, and digital catalog outreach including the 2025 Educators Catalog. Strategic partnerships include distribution of Bamboo Ridge Press titles and collaborations with nonprofits such as Read to Me International and the Hawai'i Stroke Coalition. The company operates with a small team (1–10 employees) plus contractors and freelance creatives.

Name

Bess Press

Legal name

Bess Press

Website

https://besspress.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bess Press is a 45-year-old, family-owned independent book publisher in Honolulu specializing in Hawaiian and Pacific Island cultural and educational content, serving schools, libraries, retailers, and consumers across Hawaii and Oceania through print, wholesale, and its own retail bookstore.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313), Other Publishers (51319)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Textbook Publishing (Core Curriculum) (MPAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reference Works & Academic Databases (Encyclopedias, Indexes, Abstracts) (MPAJABAI), Specialty & Niche Channel Distribution (Religious, Comic Shops, Specialty Retail) (MPAJAKAH)

Keywords

• Independent book publishing
• Hawaiian cultural publishing
• Children's literature publishing
• Pacific Island studies materials
• Educational publishing resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Book Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales through e-commerce Shopify storefront, selling books at individual retail prices ranging from $7.95 to $225.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale accounts with 40% returnable or 45% non-returnable discounts for retailers meeting $150 minimum order, serving bookstores and gift shops.
3. Educational Institutional Sales: Bulk purchases and sales to schools, libraries, and educational institutions with dedicated education sales team and policies.
4. Retail Bookstore Operations: Operating own retail bookstore 'da Shop: books + curiosities' in Honolulu open Wednesday to Sunday 10am-4pm.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bess Press is an independent book publisher based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that publishes, distributes, and sells books, educational materials, and digital products focused on Hawaiian and Pacific Island culture, language, history, and literature. The company operates across trade publishing (board books, picture books, readers, fiction, nonfiction, biography, comics, legends, guides), educational publishing (curriculum-aligned resources for Hawaiian Studies and Pacific Island Studies), retail (online Shopify storefront and physical bookstore 'da Shop: books + curiosities'), and wholesale distribution to retailers and gift shops.

Product overview

Bess Press is an independent publisher in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi with over 45 years of history, publishing for Hawaiʻi and Oceania through language, literature, history, and culture. The company operates a diverse multi-format publishing portfolio organized into content categories including Fiction, Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, Comics & Graphic Novels, Legends & Folklore, and Guides. Their Children's Literature division encompasses Board Books, Picture Books, Readers (including Island Readers Sets, Hawaiian Readers Sets, and Pacific language readers), and Middle Grade titles. The company publishes Hawaiian Studies and Pacific Island Studies educational materials, Multilingual & Language Learning resources including Pidgin materials, and Gift items. Bess Press offers Audio Downloads as digital products, manages a Back in Print reprint program, distributes Bamboo Ridge Press titles, and operates the Moana Ākea digital learning platform. The company serves Educators through curated resources by grade and subject, and operates a Wholesale Program for retailers. Featured products include illustrated works like 'From Aloha to Zippy's', 'An Illustrated Map Book of Hawaiʻi', 'Under the ʻŌhiʻa Tree', the award-winning 'Kōlea and the Chief's Cloak', and the 'Hawaiian Word-a-Day Calendar'. The company also operates a physical retail store, da Shop: books + curiosities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• From Aloha to Zippy's An alphabet journey through Hawaiʻi's diverse cultures with vibrant illustrations by Kelsie Dayna; 30-page hardcover with board book pages. Targeted at young children and families.
• Hawaiian Word-a-Day Calendar A 365-day perpetual calendar featuring Hawaiian words with illustrations, designed by Leah M. Santos. Priced at $24.99, targeting language learners, gift buyers, and Hawaiian language enthusiasts.
• In Search of First Contact An exploration of possible European landings in the Hawaiian Islands prior to 1778, authored by Gordon Joyce, Chief Ranger of Puʻuhonua o Honaunau. Targeted at Hawaiian history enthusiasts and educational readers.
• An Illustrated Map Book of Hawaiʻi A visual reference featuring maps of the Hawaiian archipelago with illustrations of flora, fauna, and marine species by Lauren Trangmar. Priced at $35 as a premium illustrated gift and reference book.
• Hawaiʻi in Black and White & Red A high-contrast board book for developing brains featuring black and white illustrations with red accents, by Sean Arakawa. Targeted at infants and early childhood educators.
• Under the ʻŌhiʻa Tree A picture book meditation on native Hawaiian forests featuring ʻōhiʻa trees and native species, by artist Erzsi Palko. Targeted at children, families, and environmental educators.
• Fast & Brave A children's stroke awareness book authored by Sarah DeLuca and Mariko Merritt, published in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Stroke Coalition; a portion of sales proceeds are donated to HSC. Targeted at children, families, and health educators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Kōlea and the Chief's Cloak won the 2019 Hawai'i Book Publishers' Association Award for Excellence in Children's Literature

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Waipahu High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents at Waipahu High School created cultural anthology 'Rising from Our Roots' as part of Comprehensive Literacy Statewide Development grant. Bess Press helped students produce their own storytelling project.
• Read to Me InternationalminorOthersCommunity literacy organization partnered for Keiki Literacy Day event. Read to Me International hosted story time and keiki activities at Bess Press book launch event.
• The Hawai'i Stroke CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublished 'FAST & BRAVE' children's book on stroke awareness in partnership with the Hawai'i Stroke Coalition. A portion of sales proceeds donated to the HSC.
• FITTEDminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal hat company collaborated with Bess Press for 40th Anniversary, creating a 'FITTED for Pidgin to da Max' snapback featuring illustrations from the Pidgin to da Max book.
• Bamboo Ridge PresscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBamboo Ridge Press is an independent non-profit publisher dedicated to literature by, for, and about Hawaii's people. Their titles are distributed through BessPress.com. 44 titles available.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Chronicle Books: Independent publisher with strong gift books, illustrated titles, and regional Pacific/Hawaiian content. Comparable as a mid-sized independent publisher with sophisticated e-commerce and gift market distribution that competes for similar consumer attention.
• Lee & Low Books: Independent publisher specializing in multicultural children's books, including titles featuring Indigenous and Pacific Island characters. A larger, broader-focused publisher operating in the same multicultural children's literature space with similar educational distribution channels.
• Scholastic (Children's Press): Major children's book publisher with extensive multicultural and educational offerings, including Pacific Island content. Broad incumbent serving the same educational customers (schools, libraries) with much larger scale and broader catalog.

Direct peers

• Mutual Publishing: Honolulu-based independent publisher of Hawaiian, Pacific Island, and Asian American books, including cookbooks, children's literature, and cultural titles. Closely comparable independent publisher with overlapping Hawaiian cultural content and similar retail distribution model.
• Island Heritage Publishing: Hawaii-based publisher specializing in Hawaiian and Pacific Island books, including children's literature, cookbooks, and cultural references. Direct competitor in the same niche publishing space with similar target markets and distribution channels.
• University of Hawai'i Press: University-affiliated academic publisher based in Honolulu specializing in Hawaiian, Pacific, and Asian studies. Most direct comparable as both a Hawaii-based publisher with overlapping Hawaiian Studies and Pacific Island Studies catalogs serving similar educational and scholarly customers.
• Bamboo Ridge Press: Honolulu-based nonprofit literary press dedicated to literature by, for, and about Hawaii's people. Already a distribution partner of Bess Press, with comparable literary and cultural publishing focus and overlapping customer base.

Emerging players

• Kamehameha Schools: Major Hawaiian private school system that develops and publishes its own Hawaiian cultural and language educational materials. Comparable audience (Hawaiian immersion and K-12) with overlapping content focus, though not a commercial publisher.
• ʻAleipaticale Press: Digital Hawaiian language publishing initiative providing free online access to Hawaiian language books. Comparable focus on Hawaiian language preservation and content distribution, though operates as a digital open-access platform rather than commercial publisher.
• Bishop Museum Press: Hawaii's premier cultural institution publishes books on Hawaiian natural history, culture, and anthropology through its press. Comparable as a Hawaiian cultural content publisher with educational focus, though primarily museum-affiliated rather than independent commercial publishing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/besspress
• Xx.com/besspress
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bess-press-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Bess Press