Colibri Publishing House

What Colibri Publishing House does

Colibri Publishing House (Колибри) is a Bulgarian independent publisher founded in 1990 and headquartered at 36 Ivan Vazov Street in Sofia, registered as a private limited liability company (OOD) under Bulgarian Commercial Law. The company specializes in publishing and retailing translated world literature, contemporary fiction, children's and young adult titles, dictionaries, and educational materials in Bulgarian. Its exclusive author portfolio spans internationally awarded writers including Harlan Coben, Amélie Nothomb, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Michel Houellebecq, with partner-author Melissa da Costa having sold over 3 million copies in 40+ countries through Colibri translations.

The company operates a hybrid retail and digital model built around three product lines: physical books (paperback and hardcover), e-books with separate ISBNs, and a proprietary 360-degree virtual reality bookstore at 360.colibri.bg — an immersive 3D recreation of a physical bookstore integrated with the main e-commerce checkout, reportedly the first such implementation globally. Distribution runs through its own e-commerce storefront (colibri.bg), two physical bookstores in Sofia (the flagship on Ivan Vazov Street and a satellite location inside the French Cultural Institute at Slaveykov Square), seven authorized third-party marketplace partners (Kaza Libri, Atrakcia.BG, SchoolLibri, Beta Book, ALEF BOOK, Forest Vision, Knigata.BG), and international shipping via Bulgarian Post with a 5 kg per-order weight limit.

Colibri's go-to-market is direct-to-consumer-led, supported by a multi-channel marketing stack that includes a blog, email newsletter, organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube), book fairs, and literary events. Revenue mechanics are unit-based book sales priced in EUR and BGN (€3–€25 typical range), with promotional tiers (15% general, 25% on the Coben author collection, €3/€7 discount lines), free Bulgaria delivery above €40, and non-returnable e-books. The company serves three primary customer segments — Bulgarian general readers, children/young adult readers, and educational/institutional buyers — and extends its brand through sub-brands Cinelibri, Atrakcia, and Livres Francais.

Name

Colibri Publishing House

Legal name

Kолибри OOD

Website

https://colibri.bg

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Colibri Publishing House is a Bulgarian independent publisher founded in 1990, specializing in translated world literature, children's books, dictionaries, and educational materials. The 14-person Sofia-based firm operates physical bookstores, e-commerce, and the world's first 360-degree virtual reality bookstore.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Publishing and Retail

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Author Website, Storefront & Direct-to-Reader Commerce (D2C Sales) (MPAJAJAE)

Keywords

• Book publishing
• Literary translations
• Physical book retail
• E-book distribution
• Virtual reality bookstore

Headquarters

HQ city

Sofia, Sofia

HQ country

Bulgaria

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Physical book sales: Colibri publishes and sells printed books (paperback, hardcover) across a wide range of genres including fiction, non-fiction, children's literature, dictionaries, and educational materials. Sales are conducted through its own e-commerce platform, two physical bookstores in Sofia, and through third-party marketplace partners. Pricing is per unit, with various promotional tiers and discounts.
2. E-book sales: Colibri offers a catalog of e-books (electronic books) as digital downloads. E-books are sold at lower price points than physical editions and are available for purchase through the same e-commerce platform. E-book delivery is digital (download), and returns are not accepted once the digital content has been delivered, as noted in the terms and conditions.
3. Third-party marketplace sales: Colibri distributes books through authorized third-party marketplace partners listed in its terms and conditions, including Kaza Libri, Atrakcia.BG, SchoolLibri, Beta Book, ALEF BOOK, Forest Vision, and Knigata.BG. This channel extends reach beyond the publisher's own sales infrastructure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Colibri Publishing House is a Bulgarian publisher and book retailer that curates, translates, and publishes physical books and e-books across fiction, non-fiction, children's literature, dictionaries, and educational texts. It sells directly to consumers through its own e-commerce platform (colibri.bg), two physical bookstores in Sofia, and a network of seven third-party marketplace partners, with international delivery handled via Bulgarian Post. The company also operates the world's first 360-degree virtual reality bookstore at 360.colibri.bg.

Product overview

Colibri Publishing House operates as a book publishing and retail company offering physical books, e-books, and an innovative 360-degree virtual reality bookstore. The product portfolio includes physical books in paperbook and hardcover formats, electronic books (e-books) with separate ISBNs, and a pioneering VR bookstore experience. The company serves readers through both online and physical retail channels, with bookstores in Sofia and a comprehensive e-commerce platform at colibri.bg.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cinelibri: Literary and cinematic platform for book-to-film adaptations and literary events
• Atrakcia
• Livres Francais

Products and services

• Physical Books (Paperback and Hardcover) Printed books in paperback and hardcover formats covering contemporary fiction, world classics, crime/thrillers, children's literature, non-fiction, dictionaries, biographies, psychology, health, and educational materials. Targeted at Bulgarian-speaking readers seeking translated international literature and original Bulgarian works.
• E-books Electronic books available for digital purchase and download, sold through the colibri.bg e-commerce platform at lower price points than physical editions. Each digital edition carries a separate ISBN distinct from the physical edition.
• 360-Degree Virtual Reality Bookstore An immersive 3D virtual reality bookstore accessible via 360.colibri.bg that simulates the interior of a physical bookstore, allowing customers to browse and select books in real time within an immersive environment before completing purchase through the integrated main platform.
• Colibri Physical Bookstores Two retail bookstore locations in Sofia: the main Colibri Bookstore at 36 Ivan Vazov Street and a second location at Slaveykov Square №3 inside the French Cultural Institute (FCI) building. Both offer in-store browsing and purchase of the full Colibri catalog.

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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Kaza Libri (Каза Либри)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKaza Libri is listed as one of Colibri's authorized marketplace partners in the company's terms and conditions. The partnership enables Kaza Libri to sell Colibri's book inventory through its own retail platform, extending Colibri's distribution reach.
• Atrakcia.BG (Атракция.БГ)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAtrakcia.BG is an authorized marketplace partner of Colibri. Colibri also has an associated cultural website at atrakcia.bg, suggesting broader synergies in cultural content.
• SchoolLibri (СкуулЛибри)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchoolLibri is listed as one of Colibri's authorized marketplace partners, selling Colibri's book catalog to educational and consumer buyers.
• Beta Book (Бета Бук)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBeta Book is an authorized marketplace partner for Colibri's book distribution.
• ALEF BOOK (АЛЕФ БУК)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorALEF BOOK is listed as one of Colibri's authorized marketplace partners for book distribution.
• Forest Vision (Форест Вижъндр)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorForest Vision is an authorized marketplace partner for Colibri's book catalog.
• Knigata.BG (Книгата.БГ)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKnigata.BG is one of the seven authorized marketplace partners listed in Colibri's terms and conditions.
• Cinelibri.comminorOthersCinelibri.com is a related website operated under the Colibri publishing umbrella, focused on cinema and literature. It is listed among the publisher's sister sites.
• Livresfrancais.bgminorOthersLivresfrancais.bg is a related website operated under the Colibri publishing umbrella, dedicated to French-language literature in Bulgaria. Listed among Colibri's sister sites.
• French Cultural Institute (FCI) SofiaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorColibri operates a bookstore location within the French Cultural Institute (FCI) at Slaveykov Square № 3 in Sofia, enabling cross-promotion with the FCI's audience of French-language learners and Francophile readers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pushkin Press: UK independent publisher focused on international literary fiction and non-fiction in translation from European and other languages. Comparable in curating translated literary works for an English-reading market through a curated catalog model.
• Gutenberg Publishing House (Издателство Гутенберг): Bulgarian publisher of fiction, non-fiction, and educational titles with its own bookstore network. Comparable in catalog mix and direct retail presence within the Bulgarian market.
• Janet 45 (Янет 45): Sofia-based independent Bulgarian publisher of contemporary fiction, poetry, and translated literary works. Comparable as a similarly-sized trade publisher targeting Bulgarian literary readers.
• Europa Editions: US/UK-based independent publisher specializing in European literary fiction and nonfiction in translation. Directly comparable business model: curating and translating contemporary European authors for a non-native-language audience.
• Obsidian Publishing (Издателство Обсидиан): Bulgarian trade publisher specializing in translated contemporary fiction, thrillers, and women's literature. Comparable in genre focus on translated international bestsellers for Bulgarian readers.
• Riva Publishing (Издателство Рива): Bulgarian publisher of translated fiction, self-help, health, and popular non-fiction. Comparable in product mix (translated bestsellers plus non-fiction categories) and target audience of Bulgarian general readers.
• Hermes Publishing House (Издателство Хермес): One of Bulgaria's largest domestic publishers and bookstore chains, offering translated fiction, educational materials, and children's books. Directly comparable in product mix and Bulgarian market focus, though larger in scale.
• Emas Publishing (Издателство Емас): Bulgarian publisher focused on translated popular fiction, romance, and women's literature. Comparable as a domestic peer selling translated international titles to Bulgarian readers through own channels.
• Ciela Publishing House (Сиела): Bulgarian trade publisher of similar vintage operating across fiction, non-fiction, children's, and educational books with its own retail and e-commerce presence. Comparable in catalog breadth, direct-to-consumer model, and target market (Bulgarian general readers).

Emerging players

• Archipelago Books: US non-profit literary publisher dedicated to international literature in translation. Comparable focus on translated contemporary literary fiction, though operating as a non-profit with a different scale and distribution model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ColibriPublishersBG
• Facebookfacebook.com/ColibriBooks
• Instagraminstagram.com/colibripublishers
• TikToktiktok.com/@colibribooks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colibri-publishing-house

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Colibri Publishing House