Chicken Soup for the Soul Gets Agent

Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing has tapped King Features Syndicate to represent its brand.

“The Chicken Soup for the Soul brand is already well known and respected around the world. In fact, Chicken Soup for the Soul products generated over $200 million in retail sales last year alone,” says Ita Golzman, vice president, North American licensing, King Features Syndicate. “King Features has distributed a ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ column to hundreds of newspapers since 1998, and will expand that offering to a six-days-a-week frequency later this year. Now, through this new licensing relationship, King Features Licensing will help take the brand to an even higher level, making the wonderful, inspirational messages from everyday people that are the essence of Chicken Soup for the Soul accessible to a whole new audience of consumers.”

King Features will initially target giftware and apparel licensees for the publishing brand, which in addition to more than 250 book titles also has independent blog and radio networks.

“After 20 years, our brand is growing faster and in more diverse ways than ever. Our retail presence in publishing alone has grown from 9,000 to 30,000 retail outlets, and we have entered into significant relationships with major digital forces like Open Road Media and Audible,” says William J. Rouhana, chief executive officer, Chicken Soup for the Soul.  “This year, we have expanded our reach even further through a joint venture with multi-billion-dollar food giant, Daymon Worldwide, and have launched our line of Chicken Soup for the Soul comfort food, which has been extremely well received by retailers. The timing of this new King Features relationship could not be more ideal, or more beneficial for potential licensees, piggybacking off the press and exposure of our brand’s other endeavors.”