Publisher views e-commerce company acquisition as ‘significant addition’ to digital portfolio

HarperCollins Christian Publishing (HCCP) has announced its acquisition of Olive Tree Bible Software.

Olive Tree (olivetree.com) is a leading online and mobile Bible resource and e-commerce company with software accessible on desktop, tablets and mobile devices across all major platforms. The company focuses on providing e-only products to facilitate how consumers read and interact with content.

The acquisition of Olive Tree directly aligns with HCCP’s mission and digital growth strategy. 

“Olive Tree’s product and technology expertise, combined with HCCP’s resources, will better equip us in the digital Bible study resources market,” said Mark Schoenwald, president and CEO of HCCP. “Our business objective is to continue delivering content to our readers in the format that best fits their lives. Olive Tree offers its customers incredible value through its apps and software, and this acquisition, although relatively small and strategically different than content acquisitions, provides our business with the opportunity to enhance our technical capabilities and create unique experiences for our consumers.”

Rachel Barach, currently general manager of HCCP’s Bible Gateway, will oversee Olive Tree’s operations.  

“I am thrilled to lead these two groups,” Barach said. “Olive Tree’s focus on high quality, educational Bible experiences will complement Bible Gateway’s mission to provide easy access to Scripture. Together, they will help grow biblical knowledge and engagement worldwide.

“We are committed to upholding the integrity of Olive Tree with its operating partners, publishers and consumers,” she added. “We believe that these relationships are, and will continue to be, an integral part of our strategy moving forward.”
HCCP has long experienced the value Olive Tree Bible Software brings as a retailing partner. 

“Olive Tree has always had a positive impact on the discoverability of our products,” Schoenwald said. “We believe this is a significant addition to our digital portfolio, but we are also committed to maintaining and growing relationships with all of our current online retailer and Bible software companies.”

Schoenwald believes such partnerships are “vital” to business.

“We could not fulfill our mission without their support,” he said.

Olive Tree is based in Spokane, Washington. Company founder Drew Haninger will move immediately into an advisory role during the transition period. —Johnson

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