Karavan Press
Karavan Press is a Cape Town-based independent literary publisher founded in 2019 by Karina M. Szczurek, publishing fiction, poetry, short stories, children's books, and plays, and operating workshop-to-anthology programs and the Indeed Books self-publishing platform. It serves literary readers and emerging authors in South Africa, with growing international reach.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersCape Town, South Africa
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Karavan Press does
Karavan Press is an independent literary publishing house founded in 2019 by Karina M. Szczurek and headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa. The company publishes literary fiction, poetry, short stories, memoirs, plays, and children's books, with a backlist exceeding 50 titles and approximately 20 new titles released in 2025. Its product surface extends beyond traditional books into programmatic IP: the Karavan Stories Workshop & Anthology (annual R3,900 workshop producing a published anthology, now in its fourth year), the In Other Stories annual flash fiction anthology edited by Kerry Hammerton, and the sister-venture Indeed Books, a curated self-publishing platform co-founded by Szczurek and Hammerton in 2025. A first Afrikaans-English bilingual title and a first limited-edition boxed collection were introduced in 2025, and the catalogue expanded into children's picture books and stage plays for the first time.
The business model is multi-stream but revenue-light. Book sales — across print retail (Exclusive Books, The Book Lounge, Love Books, festival and direct sales) and e-books (Amazon Kindle) — are the primary engine, with distribution consolidated under Booksite since 2025. Workshop fees (Karavan Stories at R3,900 per participant, poetry workshops at R550) and ancillary distribution services for select Holland House Books titles contribute modest additional revenue. There is no proprietary technology platform; Karavan Press runs on a WordPress-managed website and newsletter (~526+ subscribers as of 2026) and outsells distribution. The customer base is a long tail of literary readers and aspiring authors, with enterprise counterparties limited to retail and wholesale partners rather than direct B2B customers.
The press is privately held, bootstrapped, and operationally small, with founder-led curation (Szczurek) and editorial direction (Hammerton) as the central moat. Recent strategic activity — the 2025 distribution overhaul, the Indeed Books launch, first entries into new formats (children's, plays, bilingual) and a new UK partnership via Valley Press — signals an offensive expansion posture despite the absence of disclosed financials and the structural scale constraints of independent literary publishing.
Karavan Press firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Karavan Press
- Legal name
- Karavan Press
- Website
- https://karavanpress.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Karavan Press is a Cape Town-based independent literary publisher founded in 2019 by Karina M. Szczurek, publishing fiction, poetry, short stories, children's books, and plays, and operating workshop-to-anthology programs and the Indeed Books self-publishing platform. It serves literary readers and emerging authors in South Africa, with growing international reach.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Karavan Press industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Literary Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313), Periodical Publishers (51312)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Book Printing (2732)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Print-on-Demand Production (Book POD, Short-Run Fulfillment) (MPAJALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Biography, Memoir & Narrative Nonfiction Publishing (MPAJAAAI)
Keywords
Where Karavan Press is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cape Town
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
Karavan Press business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Book Sales: Revenue from selling published books through retail partners, direct sales at events, and e-book distribution via Amazon Kindle. Includes specialty formats like limited edition boxed collections.
- Workshop Fees: Revenue from Karavan Stories writing workshops (R3,900) and poetry workshops (R550). Participants receive anthology copies and editing services as part of the package.
- Distribution Services: Provides distribution services for select titles from other publishers in South Africa, including Holland House Books titles, generating distribution fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | One time | Karavan Stories Workshop & Anthology |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time | Poetry Workshop |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Karavan Press product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Karavan Press is an independent literary publishing house that publishes literary fiction, poetry, short stories, nonfiction memoirs, plays, and children's picture books through editorial development, design, and distribution. Beyond publishing individual titles, the company operates recurring community programs such as the Karavan Stories Workshop & Anthology and the In Other Stories annual flash fiction anthology, and provides paid writing workshops. Karavan Press also distributes select titles from other publishers in South Africa through its Booksite partnership.
Product overview
Karavan Press is an independent publisher based in Cape Town, South Africa, founded in 2019 by Karina M. Szczurek. The company publishes literary fiction, poetry collections, short story anthologies, children's books, memoirs, and plays. Their product portfolio includes core published titles (novels, poetry, short stories) and recurring programs such as the annual 'In Other Stories' flash fiction anthology edited by Kerry Hammerton, and the 'Karavan Stories Workshop & Anthology' program which includes a writing workshop and published anthology. They also co-founded 'Indeed Books' as a platform for self-published authors. The company published approximately 20 new titles in 2025 and distributes through Booksite in South Africa.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Indeed Books: A carefully curated platform for self-published authors, co-founded by Karina Szczurek and Kerry Hammerton
- Karavan Stories
- In Other Stories
Products and services
- Literary Fiction Titles
- Poetry Collections
- Short Story Collections
Quantifiable outcome
- 20 new titles published in 2025 alone
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Karavan Press
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Karavan Press technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Karavan Press partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Cheverells FarmminorCo-host of the inaugural Elgin Poetry Festival (24-26 July 2026) alongside Karavan Press and Liberty Books. Provides venue for festival events including fine dining poetry evening and Saturday workshops.
- Liberty BooksminorCo-host of the inaugural Elgin Poetry Festival (24-26 July 2026) alongside Karavan Press and Cheverells Farm. Provides venue at Peregrine Farm Stall for festival events.
- BooksitecorePrimary distribution partner for all Karavan Press and Indeed Books titles since 2025. Booksellers can order all titles through Booksite's wholesale system. This partnership replaced their previous distributor and enabled successful restructuring of the company's distribution operations.
- Indeed BookscoreCo-founded by Karina M. Szczurek and Kerry Hammerton to provide a curated platform for self-published authors. First titles include Only One Cow by Rob Glenister, My Three Names by Pamela Newham, and Unbridling by Sheryl and Sandy James. Operates as a sister company to Karavan Press.
- Valley PressminorUK publisher that picked up Ice Shock by Elleke Boehmer for publication in the UK market in 2026, extending Karavan Press authors' reach internationally.
- Life Righting CollectiveminorOrganization founded by Dawn Garisch that runs writing courses. Karavan Press author Chantal Stewart conducts workshops through this platform. Cross-promotion of writing programs and publications.
- Exclusive BookscorePrimary retail partner hosting regular book launches at their Cavendish, V&A Waterfront, Nicolway, Constantia, and other stores. The Exclusive Books team, particularly Linda and the EB Cavendish team, are described as champions of Karavan Press stories.
- Holland House BooksminorCo-publishing partner for titles including Crooked Seeds by Karen Jennings and Dayspring by C. J. Driver. Karavan Press assists with local distribution for Holland House Books titles.
- The Book LoungeminorIndependent Cape Town bookshop that hosts Karavan Press book launches, organizes the Book of the Year Award, and stocks Karavan Press titles. Also provides free copies of All About Philippi for distribution.
- Love BooksminorIndependent Johannesburg bookshop that hosts Karavan Press author events and launches, providing access to the Gauteng market.
- Jacana Literary FoundationminorEducational partner presenting fiction writing masterclasses by Karavan Press author Anna Stroud, featuring her award-winning Who Looks Inside. Events held via Zoom.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Karavan Press competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NB Publishers: South African publisher with strong Afrikaans and English literary lists. Comparable to Karavan Press on multilingual literary publishing, festival engagement, and South African retail distribution.
- Umuzi Publishers: South African independent publisher focused on literary and creative writing. Similar size and mandate to Karavan Press, targeting debut and emerging literary authors in the South African market.
- Jacana Media: One of South Africa's leading independent publishers of literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Highly comparable to Karavan Press in mandate (South African literary voices), author base, and award engagement.
- Jonathan Ball Publishers: South African independent publisher with a broad literary and general trade list including Kwela and Sunbird imprints. Comparable to Karavan Press in genre mix, distribution through South African retail, and festival-driven author promotion.
- Protea Boekhuis: Independent South African publisher of Afrikaans and English literary titles, poetry, and nonfiction. Comparable to Karavan Press on literary catalog composition and award shortlisting activity.
- Tafelberg Publishers: South African literary imprint under NB Publishers with strong poetry and literary fiction lists. Comparable to Karavan Press in literary genre focus and South African award positioning.
- Kwela Books: South African imprint of Jonathan Ball Publishers focused on literary fiction, nonfiction, and current affairs. Comparable to Karavan Press on literary genre, awards track record, and South African retail presence.
- Uhlanga Press: Small South African independent press specializing in poetry. Highly comparable to Karavan Press on small-press scale, poetry catalog, and award engagement.
- Holland House Books: UK-based independent publisher of literary fiction and nonfiction with whom Karavan Press co-publishes titles (e.g., Crooked Seeds). Direct co-publishing peer with overlapping author relationships.
Broad incumbents
- Penguin Random House South Africa: Major South African trade publisher with broad literary and commercial lists. Operates in the same retail channels as Karavan Press but at much larger scale and with a wider catalog.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Karavan Press social profiles
Digital presenceKaravan Press financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Karavan Press leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Karavan Press funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Karavan Press M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Karavan Press
What does Karavan Press do?
Karavan Press is an independent literary publishing house that publishes literary fiction, poetry, short stories, nonfiction memoirs, plays, and children's picture books through editorial development, design, and distribution. Beyond publishing individual titles, the company operates recurring community programs such as the Karavan Stories Workshop & Anthology and the In Other Stories annual flash fiction anthology, and provides paid writing workshops. Karavan Press also distributes select titles from other publishers in South Africa through its Booksite partnership.
Is Karavan Press a public or private company?
Karavan Press is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Karavan Press founded?
Karavan Press was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Karavan Press based?
Karavan Press is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Karavan Press make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are workshop Fees and distribution Services.
Who are Karavan Press's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NB Publishers, Umuzi Publishers, Jacana Media, Jonathan Ball Publishers, Protea Boekhuis, Tafelberg Publishers, Kwela Books, Uhlanga Press and Holland House Books. Penguin Random House South Africa is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Karavan Press have an API?
No public API is recorded for Karavan Press.
What industry is Karavan Press in?
Karavan Press's product category is Literary Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJALAG, Print-on-Demand Production (Book POD, Short-Run Fulfillment), with a secondary code of MPAJAAAI, Biography, Memoir & Narrative Nonfiction Publishing. Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.