America's Test Kitchen Broadens Franchise

by Staff -- Publishers Weekly, 7/17/2006

After doubling its sales in the past five years, America's Test Kitchen is preparing to use its kitchen to test more than recipes. The cookbook publisher, which now has yearly sales of about $16 million, is planning to stir in a new annual and two additional franchises.

Although the company's publishing program has largely been associated with its Cook's Illustrated magazine and related PBS cooking program, America's Test Kitchen, that's about to change. After last year's successful launch of a second magazine, Cook's Country—which will have its own PBS series on the air in 2007—Christopher Kimball, company founder and host of the top-rated ATK, is looking to add another book line to take advantage of the TV exposure. He plans to launch the Cook's Country book program next year. "We're taking it slowly," he said. "It's the elusive book or series: teaching people how to cook. This summer we're bringing people in to cook the same recipe [in our kitchen]. Then we'll go to people's homes in the Boston area and watch them cook."

Kimball views Cooks' Illustrated and Cook's Country as separate franchises. "Each will have its own TV show, magazine, Web site and book program. America's Test Kitchen is the overall business, the seal of approval," said Kimball.

To take advantage of the power of the ATK brand, this fall the publisher will launch a four-color annual cookbook, The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2007: The Year's Best Recipes from America's Most Trusted Kitchen, which brings together recipes from both magazines as well as the company's books and TV program.

Also this fall, ATK is publishing a completely revised edition of The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, which has sold 250,000 copies since it was introduced last year. "We spent six months reengineering it," said Kimball, who plans to use it as the prototype for a third franchise, this one built around ringbound cookbooks. The new Family Cookbook has a sturdier, more compact binder, and Kimball will do extensive touring to promote the title. Additional ringbound cookbooks will probably not be introduced until fall 2008.

ATK has not neglected its Cook's Illustrated book program. In September, it will introduce its first line of paperback reprints—The Best American Classics and The Best Soups & Stews.