They say the best part of breaking up is making up. Gebr. Heinemann has waited ten years to do that as the travel retailer officially reopened stores at Düsseldorf Airport on Thursday covering almost 40,000 square feet (3,700 square meters). The launch comes at a time when the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) business that is very important to the city, and to the airport, is rebuilding again.
Messe Düsseldorf runs one of the world’s most significant trade show locations with an event taking place in the city almost every fortnight and located just 10 minutes from the airport. This year, the exhibition group is increasing the number of trade fairs it runs by over 20% which will boost the international arrivals numbers into the city.
Taking advantage of this will be Heinemann. It has opened four shops under the Duty Free & Travel Value banner, located at all of the airport’s three piers. The largest is spread across 14,000 square feet (1,300 square meters), in the international/intercontinental (non-Schengen area) at Pier C.
Düsseldorf Airport is the fourth busiest airport in Germany serving just over 16 million passengers in 2022. This is double the year before and behind Berlin Brandenberg’s 19.8 million (where Heinemann is also established), but growing faster. The airport is located further west than any other major international airport in the country with a catchment that also covers the south of the Netherlands and parts of Belgium.
The airport is situated in one of Europe’s most economically powerful regions. The state of in North Rhine-Westphalia in which it sits is Germany’s most populous, and the gateway boasts 18 million inhabitants within a radius of 100 kilometers.
Heinemann’s collaboration with the airport’s owner and operator Flughafen Düsseldorf dates back to 1992 until the end of 2012, so it is matter of pride that the Hamburg-based retailer showed Dufry the door last year by retaking the retail concession again.
Rebuilding ties after 10 years apart
At the reopening, Florian Seidel, chief sustainability officer at Gebr. Heinemann, said: “We are truly delighted to be able to once again forge ahead with this partnership after 10 years. Together, we have succeeded in developing a concept that showcases the region and its local specialties in the best possible way.”
Lars Redeligx, CEO of Düsseldorf Airport, added: “We are united by our conviction of wanting to be more than just good; we want to offer every single customer an excellent experience. As an experienced international player in the industry, Heinemann knows what is important and has positioned itself flexibly and sustainably. The new shops are proof of how the future of travel retail is being successfully shaped.”
Seidel’s presence was an indicator as to how that shaping is going. There is a strong regional focus, the use of sustainable furnishings, and shop flexibility. For example, Heinemann will use Düsseldorf Airport to trial new concepts through the ‘Test & Learn’ pilot project.
The shops are inspired by Düsseldorf and its surrounding areas. Each one has a different look and a different product range, adapted to the travelers at each location. The main store—the non-Schengen shop in Pier C—is modeled after the city’s famous luxury boulevard Königsallee. nicknamed Kö. The airport assortment is equally impressive with Chanel, Dior, and Lancôme all having personalized areas.
The shop on Level 1 at Pier B is centered around ‘urban chic’ and sets a young and vibrant tone with colorful graffiti artwork at the entrance. The store on Level 2 is “an ode to the old town of Düsseldorf” on the banks of the River Rhine, while art is the inspiration behind the shop at Pier A.
Regionality and sustainability on the rise
Like its competitors, regional brands are getting more exposure. On the drinks side are Killepitsch (a herbal liqueur), Rhein Gin, and Siegfried Gin within a ‘Local Heroes’ category, while the Test & Learn brands—from a mix of categories—will get a chance to show their popularity (or not). Several of them are only known on social media, and therefore very niche, so this is their opportunity to shine in the travel channel.
On the sustainable furnishings front, all items have been manufactured to have a long service life and consume fewer resources to minimize the company’s carbon footprint. In addition, the concept allows fixtures to be adapted easily for staging launches, range changes, promotions, or tastings.
Gordana Schiel, managing director of Heinemann Düsseldorf, commented: “These shops are partly stocked with in-vogue brands that are available exclusively in travel retail in Düsseldorf. Another of our goals is to attract new target groups, such as Millennials and Gen Z, with social-media-driven brands to change their perception of duty-free shopping as an outdated pastime.”
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