Our Story

Discover Aafaq Holding

Welcome to Aafaq Holding, a leading holding company in the field of bookselling, publishing, book fairs, and university textbooks. We are passionate about connecting people with knowledge and fostering a love for learning. Our commitment to excellence and innovation drives everything we do, and we're dedicated to making a meaningful impact on education and literacy.

Our
Story

January 2001, at the Manuscript, Documentation and Heritage Center in Jabriya, Kuwait; as Naser alShammari was preparing research for his postgraduate studies on the Arabic manuscripts available in the Gazi Husrev-beg Library in Bosnia, the idea of creating Aafaq was born.

Following a conversation between Naser and the centre’s librarian about how books and manuscripts were acquired, Naser knew that this field was not well served and quickly set about establishing a company named Aafaq Almarefah (Aafaq).

As Naser continued his postgraduate studies, his commercial work was limited, and he was satisfied to supply government universities and the Ministry of Education in Kuwait, in addition to participating in local book fairs.

After Naser finished his PhD he turned to his growing business and established a company that could fulfil his ambitions in many areas. The result was the incorporation of Aafaq Publishing and Distribution company.

2008 - Company Incorporation

2009 - Publisher and Bookseller

In 2009, Naser obtained his doctorate and became a professor at the College of Arts, Kuwait University. He then fulfilled another ambition and published the first ten books by Aafaq, which were all linked to academic courses.

The year 2009 also saw Aafaq open the first branch of Aafaq Bookstore in the Kuwait Free Zone. This proved to be bad timing as the Kuwaiti government closed the Free Zone and Aafaq Bookstore was forced to close.

Dr. Naser didn’t give up and rented another location near Kuwait University. This new location was instantly successful as it was close to students and researchers alike, making the Aafaq Bookstore the first choice for serious book seekers.

By 2011 Aafaq had established itself as a bookstore and book supplier in Kuwait. Many partnerships with international publishers were being discussed but one was particularly interesting.

During 2011 Aafaq became the exclusive distributor for Oxford University Press products, forming a partnership that would be hugely successful and transformational. During this period Aafaq was able to expand its business by supplying books and educational materials to many public and private universities. Within four years, 200,000 copies of various books and educational materials had been sold.

In the same year, Aafaq began participating in Arabic bookfairs as a publisher with over 100 titles, in addition to attending the Frankfurt and London Bookfairs.

2011 - A Big Leap Forward

2015 - A Second Branch

Aafaq opened its second bookstore branch in the Jahra area, north of Kuwait, and added new lines to each store, including stationery and educational games.

Aafaq continued its participation in all Arab exhibitions, with its publications reaching nearly 400 titles.

Aafaq opened its third bookshop in the Salmiya area. In the same year it entered the school book market, gaining the confidence of British and American schools and supplying them with education materials and textbooks.

With a shift in demand to digital products Aafaq also entered the world of digital publishing, becoming the exclusive distributor of many important Arab and international databases.

This was a qualitative leap for Aafaq, and forced it to grow its team and skill set.

2016 - Paradigm Shift

2019 - Aafaq in the Region

This year saw Aafaq open its largest branch in Kuwait, in the famous Avenues complex, with an area
of 550 square meters located on two floors.
In the same year Aafaq opened in the State of Qatar; its first branch outside Kuwait. Located in the
Mall of Qatar, the new branch brought together Arabic and English books, stationery and toys.
Aafaq's publications reached nearly 750 titles making it one of the fastest growing publishers in the Middle East.
Another important event took place in 2019 as Aafaq formed a partnership with TINC from the
United Kingdom, and opened two retail branches, the first in the Avenues Mall, Kuwait and the
second in Mall of Qatar, Qatar.

2020 - Product Diversification

With the increasing popularity of Aafaq branches; Aafaq increased the number of products offered in its stores. New lines were added: toys and handicrafts, then educational games. Very quickly Aafaq gained the confidence of different brands, and was appointed the exclusive distributor for KLUTZ, a branch of Scholastic (the world’s largest children’s publisher) and Orchard Toys, a British toy maker, and an authorized distributor for Hasbro.

Furthermore, Aafaq opened its sixth branch in 360 Mall, Kuwait and Aafaq launched its consumer website, www.aafaqbookstore.com

OUR MISSION

At Aafaq Holding, our mission is to enrich lives through the power of books and knowledge. We strive to be a catalyst for intellectual growth, offering diverse literary experiences that inspire, educate, and entertain.

Driven by a passion for literature and learning, we are dedicated to creating meaningful connections between authors, readers, and educators, fostering a vibrant literary ecosystem.

CORE VALUES:

Diversity

Embracing diverse voices and perspectives, we celebrate the richness of literature and the plurality of human experiences.

Innovation

We continuously explore new frontiers in publishing, bookselling, and educational resources, pushing the boundaries of creativity and knowledge dissemination.

Empowerment

Empowering individuals through access to quality education and diverse literary content, we aim to cultivate a society where everyone has the opportunity to learn and grow.