Like Kustannus Oy

What Like Kustannus Oy does

Like Kustannus Oy is a Finnish book publisher headquartered at Uudenmaankatu 10, 00120 Helsinki, operating as a subsidiary imprint of Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava, one of Finland's three largest publishing groups (parent business ID 1564596-0). The company produces and distributes a diversified catalog that spans fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels, comic albums, self-help, music biographies, calendars, and puzzle books. Publications are issued in printed, e-book, and audiobook formats, with selected titles featuring innovative multimodal packaging — most notably the Verikyyhky horror graphic novel, which embeds QR codes that link directly to a Harju band soundtrack album, integrating audio access within print product. The publisher's technology footprint is limited to a content publishing platform rather than a technology product. Core distribution and customer acquisition run through the like.fi portal alongside listings on Suomalainen.com and shelf placement across traditional Finnish bookstore chains, with marketing executed via organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram) and PR-driven newsroom updates on like.fi.

The book catalog is anchored by long-running Finnish comic properties — Fingerpori by Pertti Jarla, Kamala luonto by Jarkko Vehniäinen and Marja Lappalainen, and Fok_It by Joonas Rinta-Kanto — each extended through album, calendar, and puzzle lines. The 2024–2025 release slate shows expansion into culturally significant institutional works (the Kalevala – Juhlalaitos 300-page anniversary graphic novel for the 190th anniversary of Finland's national epic) and into the music-tied publishing vertical (Jesse Markin – Käärmeitä ja perhosia, Radiopuhelimet palasina, A. W. Yrjänä – Alkemisti), alongside translated international crime and fantasy from authors including Karin Slaughter, Jørn Lier Horst, Mattias Edvardsson, Alastair Reynolds, and Navessa Allen. The like.fi website is structured for catalog browse, author discovery, and direct-to-consumer purchase, and is subject to ongoing remediation for compliance with the Finnish Digital Services Act (laki digitaalisten palvelujen tarjoamisesta 306/2019), with self-disclosed residual accessibility gaps.

Like Kustannus monetizes exclusively through unit-priced sales of physical books, e-books, and audiobooks to individual Finnish consumer readers. No subscription, advertising, licensing, B2B, or enterprise revenue model is disclosed, and the consumer segment is described broadly as "General Consumer Readers" with horizontal segmentation across genres rather than a defined vertical or institutional buyer cohort. The publisher functions as one imprint within the broader Otava group, sharing back-office infrastructure and accessibility governance with the parent and leveraging Otava's distribution scale, while retaining its own imprint brand identity on like.fi and on social channels.

Name

Like Kustannus Oy

Legal name

Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava

Website

https://like.fi

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Like Kustannus Oy is a Helsinki-based Finnish book publisher and subsidiary of Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava, releasing fiction, non-fiction, comics, graphic novels, music biographies, and self-help titles in print, e-book, and audiobook formats to Finnish consumer readers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Other Publishers (51319)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade Book Print-on-Demand (Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJANAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Print-on-Demand (MPAJANAD)

Keywords

• Book publishing
• Finnish literature
• Comic series
• Audiobook publishing
• Graphic novels

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Like Kustannus generates revenue through the sale of physical books across multiple genres including fiction, non-fiction, comics, calendars, and merchandise.
2. E-book Sales: Digital versions of books are sold as e-books, available through the publisher's website and online retailers.
3. Audiobook Sales: Audiobook versions of selected titles are available, narrated by professional voice actors.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Like Kustannus is a Finnish book publishing house that produces and sells a diverse catalog of literature across multiple formats including printed books, e-books, and audiobooks. The catalog spans fiction (crime/thrillers, fantasy, romance), non-fiction, comics, graphic novels, music biographies, self-help, puzzle books, and calendars. It operates as a publishing imprint within Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava Group.

Product overview

Like Kustannus Oy is a Finnish book publishing company belonging to Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava Group. The company publishes a diverse portfolio of books including fiction, non-fiction, comics, graphic novels, calendars, puzzles, and music biographies. Key product lines include long-running comic series (Fingerpori, Kamala luonto, Fok_It), graphic novel adaptations (Kalevala series, Verikyyhky), and themed book collections. Publications are available in printed, e-book, and audiobook formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fingerpori Comic Series Long-running Finnish daily comic strip series created by Pertti Jarla, appearing in newspapers and collected into albums. Features wordplay and humor based on Finnish language and culture.
• Kamala luonto Comic Series Popular Finnish comic series created by Jarkko Vehniäinen and Marja Lappalainen, featuring anthropomorphic forest animals in humorous everyday situations. Includes albums, calendars, and puzzles.
• Fok_It Comic Series Strip comic series by Joonas Rinta-Kanto featuring talking heads with philosophical humor, appearing in Helsingin Sanomat NYT supplement and collected into books.
• Kalevala – Juhlalaitos (Graphic Novel) Illustrated graphic novel interpretation of Finland's national epic Kalevala by Sami Makkonen, combining Kalevala and Kalevala – Sampo into a 300-page special edition for Kalevala's 190th anniversary.
• Verikyyhky Graphic Novel Horror graphic novel set in 1992 Savonlinna, combining supernatural events with local history, folklore, and accompanying soundtrack album by Harju band. Includes QR codes linking to audio content.
• Jesse Markin – Käärmeitä ja perhosia (Music Biography) Biography of award-winning musician Jesse Markin written with Elina Westinen, covering his journey from Liberia through Viljakkala to national fame, including personal struggles.
• Radiopuhelimet palasina (Music Book) Book about legendary Finnish alternative rock band Radiopuhelimet, edited by Finlandia Prize winner Juha Hurme.
• Tunnista motiivisi (Self-help Book) Motivation guide by Marjaana Herlevi and Leena Ståhlberg based on Steven Reiss's motivation theory, helping readers understand their 16 basic motives and make better life choices.
• Minun magiani (Self-help Book) Guide to magical living by Meri Mort, combining personal development exercises, rituals, and practical magic practices based on various magical traditions.
• Murhan vanavedessä (Puzzle/Mystery Book) Finnish murder mystery puzzle book with 75 puzzles, word games, riddles, and a murder case to solve, featuring downloadable puzzle supplements.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Kustannusosakeyhtiö OtavacoreOthersLike Kustannus is a subsidiary of Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava, one of Finland's largest publishing groups. The accessibility statement for like.fi is maintained by Otava, and the company's business ID (1564596-0) is registered under Otava.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tammi (WSOY): Major Finnish general publisher (part of the Werner Söderström group / Bonnier) producing fiction, non-fiction, and reference titles in Finnish. Direct competitor to Like Kustannus in the same genre categories and Finnish retail channel.
• Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava: Parent conglomerate of Like Kustannus and one of Finland's largest publishing groups, operating multiple imprints across fiction, non-fiction, and youth titles. Overlapping catalog and shared distribution make it functionally a peer as well as a parent.
• Gummerus: One of Finland's oldest general book publishers, publishing Finnish and translated fiction, non-fiction, and children's titles for the same domestic market as Like Kustannus. Both compete head-to-head for Finnish reader attention and bookstore shelf space.
• Karisto: Finnish general publisher producing fiction, non-fiction, and calendars for the domestic market. Competes with Like Kustannus in mid-list fiction and seasonal calendar products.
• Siltala Publishing: Independent Finnish publisher of fiction, non-fiction, and essays. A more boutique competitor overlapping with Like Kustannus in Finnish-language trade titles and translated non-fiction.
• Schildts & Söderströms: Bilingual Finnish-Swedish publisher of fiction, non-fiction, and children's books. Competes in the same Finnish-language trade publishing space with comparable genre breadth.

Emerging players

• Nobrow / Flying Eye Books: Independent publisher specializing in graphic novels, illustrated books, and comics with international distribution. Relevant peer for Like Kustannus's graphic novel and comics segment (Fingerpori, Kamala luonto, Kalevala adaptations).

Broad incumbents

• Penguin Random House: Global trade book publisher whose titles are translated into Finnish via local partners. Sets ceiling for international author competition and benchmarks audiobook/e-book distribution practices relevant to Like Kustannus.
• Bonnier Books (Bonnierförlagen): Major Nordic publishing group with multiple imprints including Tammi in Finland. Larger, broader portfolio and deeper marketing muscle than Like Kustannus, but overlapping in Finnish-language fiction and non-fiction.

Regional players

• Wahlström & Widstrand: Swedish publisher of Swedish-language fiction and non-fiction, sister imprint to Finnish publishers within the Nordic publishing ecosystem. Comparable in catalog mix and reader demographic, but operates in a different national market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/likekustannus
• Instagraminstagram.com/likekustannus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/like-kustannus-oy

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Like Kustannus Oy