Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand

What Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand does

Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand is a privately held book publishing company headquartered at Level 2, 23 Victoria Street East, Auckland Central. It is the New Zealand arm of the international Hachette publishing group and operates through two wholly-owned imprints: Moa Press, which publishes adult fiction and non-fiction, and Little Moa, which publishes children's books including picture books. The company maintains a catalog of 3,958+ titles spanning fiction, non-fiction, kids, and young adult categories, with over 100 named authors including internationally bestselling authors such as Alice Oseman (Heartstopper), Rebecca Yarros (Fourth Wing), and Chloe Gong, whose works are published in 20+ countries.

The company runs an annual illustration competition, the Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize, established in 2019 in partnership with the Margaret Mahy Estate, and supports a Teacher's Resources program providing curriculum-aligned materials to New Zealand schools from New Entrant to Year 13. Its underlying technology stack is standard for trade publishing: digital publishing for e-books, a website-based e-commerce storefront at hachette.co.nz, and inventory management systems for book distribution.

Hachette Aotearoa generates revenue primarily through one-time sales of physical books (trade paperbacks, hardcovers, board books) and e-books to consumers via direct website sales and a New Zealand retail network that includes Whitcoulls, Paper Plus, Unity Books, The Warehouse, and online retailers (BookHero, BookHub, The Nile). Wholesale distribution is executed through Alliance Distribution Services (ADS) via the ATI ordering system, and a secondary revenue stream comes from international rights and licensing of New Zealand-authored content, managed since 2014 by Rights and Contracts Manager Emma Dorph. Retail pricing spans NZ$19.99 (board books) to NZ$70.00 (hardcovers), with e-books typically priced above physical formats and audiobooks at NZ$50.00.

Name

Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand

Legal name

Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand

Website

https://hachette.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand is a privately held book publisher operating the Moa Press (adult) and Little Moa (children's) imprints in New Zealand, distributing a 3,958+ title catalog through major NZ retailers and the Alliance Distribution Services wholesale channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass Market & Paperback Publishing (MPAJAAAD)

Keywords

• Book publishing
• Trade publishing
• Children's books
• Fiction publishing
• Literary publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Primary revenue through sale of physical books (trade paperbacks, hardcovers) and e-books to consumers through retail partners and direct website orders. Publishers titles across multiple genres including fiction, non-fiction, children's books, and YA, with retail prices ranging from $19.99 to $70.00 depending on format.
2. Distribution to Retailers: Wholesale distribution to New Zealand booksellers including Whitcoulls, Paper Plus, Unity Books, BookHero, BookHub, The Nile, and The Warehouse. Order forms provided to booksellers through the ATI (Allied Title Information) system.
3. Licensing and Rights: Rights and contracts management for international licensing of New Zealand-authored content. Emma Dorph manages rights since 2014, facilitating translation and international publication of local authors' works.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand publishes books across fiction, non-fiction, children's, and young adult categories through its Moa Press (adult) and Little Moa (children's) imprints. The company distributes primarily to the New Zealand market through physical bookstores, online retailers, and direct website sales, while managing international rights and licensing for local authors. It also operates the annual Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize and provides free Teacher's Resources for New Zealand schools.

Product overview

Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand is a book publishing company operating multiple imprints: Moa Press (adult fiction and non-fiction), Little Moa (children's books), and the Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize (annual illustration competition). The company publishes across major categories including Fiction, Non-Fiction, NZ Books, Māori/Bilingual Books, and Kids & Young Adults. Additional services include Teacher's Resources for educational materials and a Media Hub for publicity and promotional resources. Key titles include the Heartstopper graphic novel series by Alice Oseman.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Moa Press: Broad-ranging adult imprint publishing commercial to literary fiction, YA fantasy, and quality non-fiction from memoir to natural history, championing diverse voices from Aotearoa New Zealand
• Little Moa
• Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize

Products and services

• Moa Press Adult fiction and non-fiction publishing imprint publishing commercial to literary fiction, YA fantasy, and quality non-fiction including memoir and natural history. Champions diverse voices representing cultures and perspectives from within Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Little Moa Children's publishing imprint publishing picture books and children's books. Works with local authors including Donovan Bixley, Sarina Dickson, and Jessica Urlichs, plus iconic brands including Edmonds Cookbooks and Margaret Mahy. Home of the Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize.
• Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize Annual illustration prize for unpublished New Zealand-based illustrators to illustrate Margaret Mahy's classic stories. One of New Zealand's pre-eminent illustration prizes, with the winning illustration published as a book.
• Teacher's Resources Free educational resources for teachers including teacher's notes, discussion questions, and activity sheets for books across year levels from New Entrant to Year 13 in New Zealand schools. Designed to support classroom curriculum and te reo Māori teaching.
• Media Hub Resource hub for media outlets providing review copies, author interviews, the Hachette Highlights newsletter, and downloadable promotional materials including catalogs and order forms.
• Heartstopper Series Award-winning LGBTQ+ YA graphic novel series by Alice Oseman, adapted into Emmy Award-winning Netflix series. Includes multiple volumes plus related merchandise for teen and young adult readers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize has been running annually since 2019, supporting unpublished New Zealand illustrators
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and regional.

• Margaret Mahy EstateflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Ongoing partnership to publish new illustrated editions of Margaret Mahy's classic children's stories through the annual Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize. Winners receive the opportunity to illustrate a Mahy title, with the estate maintaining creative oversight and the partnership celebrating Mahy's 50th anniversary of A Lion in the Meadow (2019).
• Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o TāmakicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presenter of 'A Night with Alice Oseman' event on October 20, 2026 at Dorothy Winstone Centre, Auckland Girls' Grammar School as part of Alice Oseman's ANZ tour.
• WORD ChristchurchcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual partnership for author events at WORD Christchurch festival. 2026 events include Jon Toogood Home Again launch, Charlotte Glennie sessions, Molly Crighton events, and H.G. Parry/Ashley Andersen panel.
• Hamilton Book MonthregionalGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual partnership for author appearances at Hamilton Book Month. 2026 events include Nalini Singh, Rachel Paris, and Charlotte Glennie at various venues.
• Alliance Distribution Services (ADS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary distribution partner for Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand. Booksellers can open accounts via ADS for wholesale ordering. Customer service: +64 9 4774120 or [email protected]

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Text Publishing (Australia): Independent Australian trade publisher known for literary fiction and non-fiction. Comparable in trade publishing scope and editorial quality, but primarily serves the Australian market rather than NZ directly.
• Affirm Press: Australian independent publisher of illustrated non-fiction and children's titles. Comparable to Little Moa in illustrated children's publishing focus, but distributed primarily in Australia rather than NZ.

Broad incumbents

• Walker Books Australia: Australia-based publisher of children's picture books and illustrated titles with distribution into NZ. Comparable to Little Moa in children's focus, but operates from a broader regional footprint rather than NZ-specific positioning.
• Hachette Australia: Sister company under Hachette Group, publishing a broad trade list across Australia with shared backlist and author relationships. Comparable in business model and parent-group affiliation, but operates across a much larger market.

Direct peers

• HarperCollins New Zealand: NZ publishing operation of HarperCollins, distributing trade fiction, non-fiction, and children's titles through the same major NZ retailers (Whitcoulls, Paper Plus). Closely comparable in scope, imprint structure, and market position.
• Scholastic New Zealand: NZ arm of Scholastic, focused on children's publishing, school book fairs, and educational resources. Direct peer in the children's segment and in serving NZ schools and teachers through curriculum-aligned materials.
• Upstart Press: Independent NZ publisher focused on children's books and New Zealand authors. Competes directly with Little Moa for NZ-authored children's content, school supply contracts, and local retailer shelf placement.
• Penguin Random House New Zealand: The NZ arm of Penguin Random House, the world's largest trade publisher. Directly competes with Hachette Aotearoa for the same NZ bookstore shelf space, authors, and bestseller rights, serving identical consumer and education segments.
• Allen & Unwin (New Zealand): Australia-headquartered independent publisher with strong NZ presence, publishing trade fiction, non-fiction, and children's books through the same NZ retail channels. Highly comparable in catalog breadth and indie-trade positioning.

Emerging players

• Bridget Williams Books: Independent NZ publisher specializing in New Zealand history, Māori writing, and ideas-focused non-fiction. Comparable in focus on local NZ voices and culturally significant content, but with a narrower non-fiction-led list.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LittleMoaBooks
• Instagraminstagram.com/littlemoabooks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hachettenz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand