Chicken Soup for the Soul
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing, Consumer goods, Media |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen |
| Headquarters | Cos Cob , United States |
Area served | Global |
Key people | William J. Rouhana, Jr. (Chairman and CEO), Amy Newmark (Publisher) |
| Products | Books, pet food, soups, sauces, ready-to-eat meals, television content |
Number of employees | Over 1,000 (prior to 2024 bankruptcy) |
| Website | www |
Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC is a U.S.-based company specializing in self-help and consumer goods, with its headquarters located in Cos Cob, Connecticut. Established in 1993 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, the firm is primarily recognized for its Chicken Soup for the Soul series, which features uplifting true stories organized around a variety of themes.
The company has broadened its scope beyond publishing, branching out into food items, pet nutrition products, and television content. Utilizing its well-established brand, it has successfully penetrated several industries. The leadership team includes William J. Rouhana, Jr., who holds the positions of chairman and CEO, alongside Amy Newmark as publisher. Globally, the company aims to increase its market presence through strategic licensing agreements and the development of content spanning consumer packaged goods and media platforms.
Books
The motivational speakers Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen joined forces to create the initial Chicken Soup for the Soul volume, which compiled inspirational real-life stories sourced from their audiences. After facing rejection from major publishing houses in New York, the manuscript was ultimately accepted by HCI, a small self-help publisher based in Florida.
Building on this early success, Canfield and Hansen collaborated with HCI to produce additional Chicken Soup for the Soul editions, including targeted collections such as the 1997 hit Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. Since its debut in 1993, numerous sequels and new titles have been released consistently. In 2009, it was discovered that author Adeline Lee Zhia Ern had plagiarized a story from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul IV.
A television anthology series inspired by the books aired 19 episodes during the 1999–2000 season on PAX TV (currently Ion Television), thereby extending the brand’s influence into broadcast media.
Expansion from books
In 2008, founders Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen transferred ownership of the company to a new management group headed by William J. Rouhana and Robert D. Jacobs. Since that transition, all subsequent publications have been issued by Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC, with distribution managed through Simon & Schuster.
Under this new direction, Chicken Soup for the Soul expanded its product offerings beyond literature to include pet food under the Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul label, as well as a range of soups, sauces, and ready-to-eat meals bearing its primary brand name.
The entertainment division of Chicken Soup for the Soul became publicly traded in 2017. That same year, it acquired Screen Media Ventures, LLC—a distributor of independent films and television content that also owned Popcornflix, an ad-supported streaming platform. This move enhanced its global footprint and capabilities in content distribution.
Nevertheless, on July 10, 2024, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment was ordered into Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation by a judge following allegations against Rouhana involving mismanagement and failure to fulfill financial commitments. This liquidation resulted in the closure of subsidiaries including Crackle, Popcornflix, and Redbox; over 1,000 employees were laid off; and more than 26,000 Redbox kiosks were permanently shut down.
Awards
From 1994 through 1998, the original book series consistently appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list, underscoring its considerable market impact and ongoing commercial success.
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- Chicken Soup for the Soul
- 1993 establishments in Connecticut
- American companies founded in 1993
- Book publishers located in Connecticut
- Mass media firms based in Greenwich, Connecticut
- Mass media organizations founded in 1993
- Publishing firms established in 1993
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- American companies established in 1993
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment