Absolute Press sold to Bloomsbury Publishing
(September 2011)
Bertoli Mitchell is pleased to announce the acquisition of Absolute Press by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. Bertoli Mitchell acted as exclusive strategic and financial advisor to Jon Croft, publisher and managing director of Absolute Press.
Jon Croft founded Absolute Press in 1977. He discovered and published Keith Floyd, initiating the publishing of chefs' books and food books with a distinctive and original style. Absolute Press now publishes 15 titles a year plus a further 8 titles in their bestselling Tips Series. Recent bestsellers include Momofuku by David Chang, The Ultimate Student Cookbook by Fiona Beckett, Terre à Terrre by Amanda Powley, Indulge by Claire Clark and the perennial seller The Marmite Cookbook by Paul Hartley.
The Sunday Telegraph deemed Absolute Press 'the exemplary food publisher' and Edouard Cointreau, Chairman, World Gourmand Cookbook Awards, said: "... one of our favourite publishers worldwide for their utmost care and expertise in publishing the best possible books. Every year Absolute Press keeps the same high standards. The subjects are often ahead of new trends."
Absolute Press will be managed by Bloomsbury's specialist publisher Janet Murphy alongside her market-leading specialist nautical, sports and natural history lists. Bloomsbury already has a very strong track record in selling, marketing and publicizing cookery books. Its food list includes Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and the River Cottage handbook series, Heston Blumenthal, Raymond Blanc, Fergus Henderson and Paul Hollywood.
Richard Charkin, Bloomsbury's Executive Director, said: "Publishing of any kind only works with the right authors, the right publisher and the right market. Absolute Press combines all three beautifully.
Jon Croft said: "After 32 years of independent publishing I am absolutely delighted that Absolute's new home is to be within the invigorating embrace of one of the world's great independent publishing houses. Bloomsbury was always my ideal choice of home for the Absolute list, so I couldn't be more delighted that it will be joining them in their new headquarters in Bedford Square. This is the most wonderful opportunity for the list to grow and to flourish and so I am doubly thrilled that I will be staying on in a consulting capacity to help build and guide Absolute through some very exciting times".
He added: "Bertoli Mitchell combine authority, professionalism and profound experience, whilst at the same time handling all matters with a comforting charm and a reassuring lightness of touch. A quite remarkable team who achieved not only a wonderful sale deal for Absolute Press, but who also managed quite miraculously to make the whole experience a real pleasure. I wouldn't, at the outset of the process, have expected it to be fun, but it was!"