Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Weber Grills Announce Exclusive Partnership

Weber’s New American Barbecue by bestselling author Jamie Purviance launches in April 2016

NEW YORK--()--Beginning January 2016, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) will become the new publishing partner in the US and Canada for Weber-Stephen Products LLC, the world’s leading manufacturer of outdoor gas, charcoal and electric grills.

The agreement between HMH and Weber begins with the transfer of four backlist titles—Weber’s Way to Grill, Weber’s Smoke, Weber’s New Real Grilling, and Weber’s Big Book of Burgers to HMH in January 2016, followed by the publication of Weber’s New American Barbecue by New York Times best-selling cookbook author Jamie Purviance, available nationwide in April 2016.

Bruce Nichols, SVP and Publisher of HMH, commented “Weber is synonymous with grilling, and Jamie Purviance is the perfect author and spokesman for their beloved and best-selling line of cookbooks. We are thrilled to be working with such terrific partners.”

Weber joins other high profile culinary brands on the HMH list including The Whole 30, Betty Crocker, Better Homes & Gardens and Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything series.

“We are excited to partner with one of the most iconic publishers in the world,” said Mike Kempster, Chief Marketing Officer, Weber-Stephen Products LLC. “There is no better partner than Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to ensure that Weber’s New American Barbecue will become a must-have for today’s legion of grilling enthusiasts.”

About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade Publishing
For nearly two centuries, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade Publishing has published some of the world’s most renowned novels, nonfiction, children’s books, and reference works. As part of a leading global learning company, it is uniquely positioned to create educational and entertaining content for multiple channels and in various formats, from hardcovers and paperbacks to e-books and mobile apps. Its distinguished author list includes ten Nobel Prize winners, forty-eight Pulitzer Prize winners, fifteen National Book Award winners, and more than one hundred Caldecott, Newbery, Printz, and Sibert Medal and Honor recipients. HMH publishes such distinguished authors as Philip Roth, Temple Grandin, Tim O'Brien, and Umberto Eco, and a celebrated roster of children’s authors and illustrators including Lois Lowry, Chris Van Allsburg, and David Wiesner. HMH is also home to The Best American series®; The American Heritage® and Webster’s New World® dictionaries; Betty Crocker®, Better Homes and Gardens®, How to Cook Everything®, The Gourmet Cookbook, and other leading culinary properties; the Peterson Field Guides®; CliffsNotes™; books by J.R.R. Tolkien; and many iconic children’s books and characters, including Curious George®, The Little Prince, and The Polar Express.

About Weber-Stephen Products LLC
Weber-Stephen Products LLC, headquartered in Palatine, Ill., is the world’s premier manufacturer of charcoal, gas and electric grills, grilling accessories and award-winning cookbooks and mobile applications. In 1952, founder George Stephen sparked a backyard revolution with his invention of the Weber® kettle. More than 60 years later, the privately-held company’s products are sold worldwide at select national home centers, specialty hardware stores, patio stores and other retail outlets. Weber has the strongest customer support program in the industry with its Weber Grill-LineSM (1-800-GRILL-OUT®). Weber can also be followed on Facebook (www.facebook.com/weberbbq) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/webergrills). Visit www.weber.com for more information.

Forward Looking Statements
This news release may contain certain statements that are not historical facts, including information regarding our intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, our results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies, the industry in which we operate and potential business decisions. Those statements constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results expressed in or implied by our forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, changes in state and local education funding and/or related programs, legislation and procurement processes; adverse or worsening economic trends or the continuation of current economic conditions; changes in consumer demand for, and acceptance of, our products; industry cycles and trends; conditions and/or changes in the publishing industry; and other factors discussed in our news releases, public statements and/or filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. We undertake no obligation, and do not expect, to publicly update or publicly revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Lori Glazer, 212-420-5840
VP, Executive Director of Publicity
Lori.Glazer@hmhco.com

Contacts

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Lori Glazer, 212-420-5840
VP, Executive Director of Publicity
Lori.Glazer@hmhco.com