Blasta Books plans to expand into the UK market this autumn

Boutique Irish publishing house Blasta Books is planning to expand into the UK market this autumn. 

Founder and publisher Kristin Jensen launched the company in 2022 as a quarterly series of small, illustrated cookbooks that provide a snapshot of Ireland’s modern and diverse food culture. After setting up a Kickstarter campaign in 2021, Blasta Books saw its target met in just a few days and was selected as a "Kickstarter Project We Love".

The word "blasta" comes from the Irish language and translates as "delicious". Jensen’s aim is "to give readers a fun, affordable, accessible way to explore exciting food and change the way cookbooks are published". The publisher collaborates with Dublin artist Nicky Hooper, thereby removing expensive styling, photography and high production costs.

The list saw immediate success, with the first series selling out of its first print run and having to be immediately reprinted. Blasta Books continues with its second series and will look to expand its sales, PR and marketing presence into the UK market this autumn.

Jensen said: "The success of our first series – Tacos, Hot Fat, The United Nations of Cookies and Wok – shows that there is a real appetite for more stories and more types of food. These books are literally the voices, faces and food of modern Ireland.

"One of my aims with this series is to move the needle forward on the story of Irish food, both for our own domestic audience but also for international readers. It’s time to move beyond the outdated stereotypes and clichés about Irish food and showcase the incredible diversity and talent of the Irish food scene."

She added: "Blasta Books will be employing dedicated publicity and marketing support in the UK with food and drink agency Albero PR, with plans to strengthen their foreign rights support due to high interest in European and Scandinavian markets. The series will continue to publish four titles a year, adding fun extra elements to each book, such as the pull-out mind map in Wasted. Work is well underway for the next four books for 2024, which will continue to explore the diverse food scene in Ireland through four exciting new voices."