SCM Verlagsgruppe GmbH

What SCM Verlagsgruppe GmbH does

SCM Verlagsgruppe GmbH is a privately held German publishing group headquartered in Holzgerlingen, Baden-Württemberg, with an additional office in Wetzlar. The group operates seven (and per one source, eight) distinct publishing imprints — SCM Bundes-Verlag, SCM Hänssler, R.Brockhaus, Gerth Medien, adeo Verlag, Born Verlag, Save & Sound, and SCM Verlag — producing Christian books, Bibles and study materials, worship and instrumental music, films including the German distribution of "The Chosen," 19 magazines covering faith, family, youth, and pastoral care, plus children's books, gifts, and calendars. The company serves individual Christian consumers across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) with a horizontal segmentation approach centered on the persona of faith-seeking individuals and families.

The business is operated under a traditional publishing model with no proprietary technology stack disclosed. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time physical and digital product sales via the SCM Shop (scm-shop.de) e-commerce platform and through B2B distribution via the Händlerportal (haendlerportal.scm-verlagsgruppe.de) to Christian bookstores and general book retailers. A recurring revenue component exists through the 19 SCM Bundes-Verlag magazines. The company also maintains four online community/content portals — Jesus.de (launched 1996), Amen.de (anonymous prayer support), Sprinkle.net (evangelism), and Edenjobs.de (Christian job board) — which function as top-of-funnel marketing assets feeding into the commerce funnel.

SCM Verlagsgruppe is wholly owned by Stiftung Christliche Medien, a nonprofit Christian media foundation. Headcount is reported at 45 employees per firmographics data, although the company homepage displays a "0+" placeholder. No revenue figure, funding history, M&A activity, or disclosed financial data are available in the source material. Pricing across the catalog ranges from approximately €5.95–€28 for standard books, €9–€15 for audio products, €49–€130 for premium Bible editions, with sample prices also listed in Swiss francs (CHF) and Austrian euros (AT).

Name

SCM Verlagsgruppe GmbH

Legal name

SCM Verlagsgruppe GmbH

Website

https://scm-verlagsgruppe.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SCM Verlagsgruppe GmbH is a German Christian publishing group operating seven imprints, four online portals, and direct-to-consumer and B2B commerce platforms serving individual Christians and the book trade across the DACH region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Media Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Periodical Publishers (513120), Book Retailers and News Dealers (45921)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Retail-Nonstore Retailers (5960)

akta.pro primary industry

Sacred Texts & Scripture Publishing (Bibles, Qur’ans, Vedas, Torah, Sutras) (MPAJAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Devotional & Prayer Publishing (Devotionals, Prayer Books, Meditation Guides) (MPAJAHAB), Sermon, Homiletics & Ministry Resource Publishing (Preaching Aids, Pastoral Resources) (MPAJAHAD), Religious Children’s Publishing (Faith-Based Kids & YA) (MPAJAHAJ), Spirituality & Personal Growth Publishing (Mindfulness, Contemplative, New Age) (MPAJAHAH), Religious & Spiritual Books Retail (CRALAAAE)

Keywords

• Christian publishing
• Religious books
• Bible translations
• Worship music
• Christian magazines

Headquarters

HQ city

Holzgerlingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Physical Product Sales: Sale of physical media including books, Bibles, music CDs, audiobooks, films, calendars, gift items, and children's products. Products are sold as one-time purchases through owned e-commerce platforms and third-party bookstores.
2. Digital Products: E-books and digital downloads sold through the SCM Shop platform.
3. Periodicals and Subscriptions: The company publishes 19 magazines under SCM Bundes-Verlag with content focused on Christian faith, family, and community life.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SCM Verlagsgruppe GmbH is a German Christian media publishing group that produces and distributes faith-based books, Bibles, music, films, magazines, children's products, and gift items through seven publishing houses and online portals in the DACH market. The group operates consumer e-commerce (SCM Shop), a B2B trade portal (Händlerportal), and faith-based community platforms (Jesus.de, Amen.de, Sprinkle.net, Edenjobs) serving individual Christian consumers and book retailers.

Product overview

SCM Verlagsgruppe GmbH is a Christian publishing group comprising multiple publishing houses including SCM Bundes-Verlag, SCM Hänssler, R.Brockhaus, Gerth Medien, adeo Verlag, Born Verlag, Save & Sound, and SCM Verlag. The company operates e-commerce platforms (SCM Shop for consumers, Händlerportal for retailers), online portals (Jesus.de, Amen.de, Sprinkle.net, Edenjobs), and publishes a diverse portfolio of products: books (novels, biographies, non-fiction, devotionals), Bibles and study materials (Elberfelder, Schlachter translations), music (worship, choral, instrumental), films (including The Chosen series), 19 magazines covering faith life, family, youth and pastoral care, gifts, calendars, and children's products. Notable children's series include the 'Emmi' and 'Leonie' audiobook series, the 'Lies mit mir!' first reader series, and 'Käpten Sturm' adventure books. The company is owned by Stiftung Christliche Medien.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jesus.de: Online portal for Christian resources, news, faith questions, bestselling authors, events, and more since 1996.
• Amen.de
• Sprinkle.net
• Edenjobs

Products and services

• SCM Shop (Online Store) The online retail platform for SCM Mediengruppe offering Christian literature, music, films, calendars, gift items, and more for end consumers in the DACH region.
• Händlerportal (B2B Dealer Portal) A B2B ordering portal for retailers and bookshops to order SCM products, featuring professional search, ordering, and marketing materials.
• Jesus.de A faith-based online portal offering news, answers to faith questions, information about bestselling authors, events, and resources for Christian living since 1996.
• Amen.de An online platform where users can share concerns for prayer, receive encouragement and blessings from prayer volunteers, anonymously.
• Sprinkle.net The evangelistic platform of SCM Bundes-Verlag, focused on inspiring people to share their faith courageously and diversely.
• Edenjobs A Christian job board connecting employers with people who want to integrate their faith actively into their profession across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
• The Chosen Series (German Distribution) A multi-season TV series depicting the life of Jesus Christ, distributed by SCM Hänssler in German-speaking markets.
• Feiert Jesus! Worship Music Series A comprehensive worship and praise song collection featuring contemporary Christian music with songbooks and sheet music.
• SCM Bundes-Verlag Magazines A portfolio of 19 Christian magazines covering topics such as personal faith life, family and partnerships, children and youth, pedagogy, community and small groups, and pastoral care and psychology.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Stiftung Christliche MediencoreOthersSCM Verlagsgruppe GmbH is an operating company of the Stiftung Christliche Medien (Christian Media Foundation), which is the parent organization providing mission alignment and institutional backing.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Verlagsgruppe Random House (Penguin Random House Germany): Germany's largest trade publisher and parent of Gütersloher Verlagshaus. Represents the broader incumbent competitive context — far larger scale, broader catalog, with religious titles as one segment among many.
• Bastei Lübbe: Major German generalist publisher with religious and lifestyle titles in its catalog. Represents broader competitive pressure on book trade shelf space and retail buyer attention that SCM's titles compete for.

Others

• ERF Medien: German Christian media nonprofit operating radio, online content, and TV (including channels on Bibel TV). Adjacent ecosystem participant — not a direct publishing competitor but competes for the same Christian audience's time and content dollars.

Direct peers

• Brunnen Verlag: One of the largest German-language Christian publishers (Gießen), publishing books, Bibles, music, and gifts for the same Christian consumer base SCM targets. Closest direct competitor in the German Protestant/evangelical publishing space.
• Down to Earth Verlag: German Christian media publisher producing books, music, and related content with a focus on contemporary Christian audiences. Overlaps with SCM Hänssler and Gerth Medien in lifestyle Christian content.
• Gütersloher Verlagshaus: German religious publishing imprint (part of Penguin Random House Germany) producing Bibles, theology, devotionals, and religious nonfiction. Competes directly with SCM's R.Brockhaus and SCM Hänssler imprints for the same faith-based reader.
• Patmos Verlag: Religious publisher within the Verlagsgruppe Patmos publishing family, producing Christian literature, spiritual books, and lifestyle titles in the German market. Operates with the same D2C + book trade model and similar product categories.
• Vier-Türme Verlag: Benedictine-affiliated German religious publisher producing books, audiobooks, and gift items with a Catholic and ecumenical focus. Comparable to SCM in product format mix (books, audio, gifts) and Christian consumer targeting.
• Francke Verlag: German Christian publisher producing books, Bible studies, and ministry resources with a broadly evangelical audience. Comparable in product mix and target customer to SCM's mid-sized imprints.

Emerging players

• Adullam Verlag: Smaller German Christian publisher focused on faith-based books and devotionals for an evangelical audience. Comparable in mission and product type but smaller in catalog breadth than SCM's imprints.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scm-verlagsgruppe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries7 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 SCM Verlagsgruppe GmbH