Gebr. Heinemann awarded concession for duty-free stores at Keflavik
Gebr. Heinemann will take over the concession for operating duty-free stores at Keflavik International Airport (KEF) in the spring of 2025. Isavia, the operator of KEF, accepted Gebr. Heinemann's bid following a tender process. Three other companies also submitted bids for the Duty-Free store concession and facilities. Gebr. Heinemann's offer was chosen based on predetermined selection criteria. The Agreement for the concession between Gebr. Heinemann and Isavia has entered into effect.
During the tender process, emphasis was placed on ensuring that passengers at Keflavik Airport feel they are in Iceland when passing through the duty-free stores at KEF. This is evident not only from the design of the shops, but also from the range of products on sale – 30 per cent of the assortment will consist of Icelandic products. Gebr. Heinemann will operate a departure shop (1,700 square metres), an arrival shop (2,280 square metres) and a gate shop.
Gebr. Heinemann is a family-owned company based in Germany. The globally operating travel retailer and distributor has a long-lasting experience in providing tailor-made travel retail offers to travelers who are traveling in and out of the Nordics.
Nico Reifkogel, Director Business Development Sales at Gebr. Heinemann commented on the tendering process by Isavia: “The tendering process carried out by the airport operator was extremely professional and transparent, which enabled us to develop a tailor-made offer.
An important part of our offer was also to show that there is a high cultural fit. We are very pleased that we were able to convince Isavia with our concept.
Nico ReifkogelDirector Business Development Sales at Gebr. Heinemann
Jens Wolf, Sales Director Nordics at Gebr. Heinemann added: “We are very happy about being awarded and are looking forward to providing travelers from and to Iceland with a great modern duty-free offer. A strong regional Icelandic sense was a key requirement which will play a key role in the future shopping experience, among others with a comprehensive assortment of products from local brands. This will be complemented by a great selection of international brands across all product categories. We always aim to serve the needs of all travelers, those who are looking for a great special offer as well as those who are looking for something special. For now our focus is on collaborating closely with all stakeholders involved to realize our plans.”
Guðmundur Daði Rúnarsson, Chief Commercial and Airport Development Officer at KEF (CCDO), welcomed Gebr. Heinemann to the airport community at KEF.
I look forward to our collaboration. This is a strong company with extensive and excellent experience in operating duty-free stores worldwide. We are confident that Heinemann will greet travelers with warmth, a diverse selection of products, and robust service.
Guðmundur Daði RúnarssonChief Commercial and Airport Development Officer at KEF (CCDO)
Guðmundur Daði added that the goal of the tender for the concession and facilities was to partner with a company experienced in running duty-free operations. “This process was designed to ensure benefits beyond the current setup. This change will bring advantages for passengers, the airport, and the community. We are significantly increasing the airport’s revenue. This will allow us to further develop Keflavik Airport and create more opportunities to add flight connections. ACI Europe has pointed out that a 10% increase in direct flight connections boosts economic growth by 0.5% in the respective country. That is a benefit for Icelanders.”
Source: Gebr. Heinemann