NYC’s The Orchard enters strategic partnership with Germany’s Membran

PRESS RELEASE:

The Orchard,a pioneering independent music, film and video distribution company, andMembran Entertainment Group, an established independent music services company based in Germany, have entered into a strategic relationship that will further strengthen and expand both companies’ presence in Europe and across the globe.

Effective immediately, The Orchard’s Germany / Switzerland / Austria (GSA) and Eastern Europe operations will be run by Hamburg-based Membran CEO and The Orchard GmbH Managing DirectorManlio Celotti. Celotti brings 25+ years of experience in the German and European music industry, including running indie distributor EWM, launching the careers of major German artists such as Fettes Brot, Tobi und Das Bo, Die Sterne, and Tocotronic, and starting MCC (NEO), his own label services company, among other successes. Celotti and his team will coordinate key releases on a pan-European and global basis, utilizing the services and network of both companies to provide maximum results.

The initiative brings to The Orchard the expertise of one of Germany’s most established label services and independent music magnates, providing a powerful option for labels and artists looking to take advantage of The Orchard’s presence in more than 25 markets worldwide and its cutting edge technical infrastructure, as well as grow their presence across Europe. The Orchard’s core distribution service relies on the backbone of its proprietary digital platform and physical capabilities, which are now enhancedthrough direct physical distribution in Europe,via Membran’s sales team and direct retail relationships.

“Partnering with Membran and bringing real leadership to bear in market puts The Orchard in a strong strategic position to support the growth of Germany’s still developing digital music share,” saysBrad Navin, The Orchard’s CEO. “We are thrilled to welcome Manlio Celotti to our management team. His experience will help us meet our clients’ evolving needs in one of the most important music markets of the world, and further bolster The Orchard’s global offering.”

“The Orchard has been a long-standing and reliable partner for Membran for many years and I am absolutely excited to be working even more closely with Brad, Colleen [Theis, The Orchard’s COO] and their team,” saysManlio Celotti. “I firmly believe that the constellation we have created provides exactly what the industry needs today and the combination of The Orchard’s technological systems and global network together with Membran’s international label services and music passion is rare in today’s industry and will certainly be a force to be reckoned with — not only in Europe but worldwide.”