Quarto launches Spanish language imprint: Quarto Iberoamericana

The Quarto Group is launching a new Spanish language imprint Quarto Iberoamericana through an international publishing partnership with Argentina-based Catapulta Editores S.L, a long-standing co-edition partner of the group.

The launch of the imprint will help Quarto to expand its global reach and exploit its IP on a much larger scale, according to the publisher, which estimates the co-operation between it and Catapulta Editores will give Quarto direct access to a publishing market worth US$4 billion with 550 million Spanish speakers worldwide.

The new imprint will publish 20 books a year with the first six books launching in Autumn 2017 in adult categories such as cookery, lifestyle and spirituality. Other categories will be added in the future as the imprint grows.

Titles will be sourced from Quarto’s intellectual property catalogue and Catapulta Editores will be responsible for sales and distribution in Spain, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador. Partners to distribute the books in the rest of Latin America and North America will be appointed in the near future.

The partnership follows other joint ventures, between Quarto and Grupo Nobel in Brazil, which it announced in 2014 to create Quarto Editora in 2015, and, most recently in April 2016, with Sharjah-based publisher Kalimat in the UAE and North Africa.

Marcus Leaver, chief executive of The Quarto Group, said: "Our stated intention to further expand our scale and reach around the globe sees it third iteration in the Spanish language, following the successful launch of Kalimat Quarto, our Arab language imprint in 2016, and Quarto Editora, our Brazilian imprint in 2015. This is another great example of finding further opportunities for growth with the right partners who share our values.”

David Inman, managing director, Quarto Partners, added: “There is tremendous opportunity in the Spanish language market and we believe this new venture with our long- standing partner Catapulta Editores will help us grow our business further around the world."

Rodolfo Reyna, vice president, Catapulta Editores said: "We are excited to have the opportunity to work alongside The Quarto Group in developing a market that is vibrant and full of potential." 

Quarto saw a rise in profits of 17% for 2016, attributed in part to its strategy of "distribution development", expanding its global network and capitalising on emerging markets.

It recently announced a change of direction for the company, which will now be concentrating its efforts squarely on its publishing business, following the disposal of Hong Kong-based Regent Publishing Service and Books & Gifts Direct (BGD).

Its aim, Leaver said last month, is to "triumph as the dominant illustrated publisher over the next few years".