GERMANY. Gebr Heinemann and Cologne Bonn Airport have marked 50 years since the retailer opened its first airport store. From a small kiosk with a service counter, family-owned Heinemann now runs five shops across 1,800sq m at the location (in a portfolio of 340 shops at 74 airports spanning 28 countries).
Gebr Heinemann Co-Owner Claus Heinemann said: “We are very proud of our longstanding and successful partnership with Cologne Bonn Airport. The airport is the cradle of our business in the airport retail sector, because it was here that we dared to make the leap from being a pure wholesaler to operating shops ourselves, which was a new level of trade for us back in 1969.”
Co-Owner Gunnar Heinemann added: “It’s really wonderful to see how business here in Cologne has developed over the last five decades. All the innovations our company has realised in recent years have been successfully implemented here, whether in transitioning from the service counter to the walk-through self-service shop, or from the simple Duty Free logo to our own ‘Heinemann’ retail brand – both the airport and our employees here on site have offered us outstanding support along the way.”
Flughafen Köln/Bonn CEO Johan Vanneste said: “Heinemann is an integral part of our airport family. We share a very long and successful history. There have been shops here at Cologne Bonn Airport ever since Terminal 1 was built. Together we have succeeded in building up a trusting partnership over 50 years, one that provides the basis of our joint success.”
To mark the anniversary, Heinemann is running a series of campaigns and special offers in September and October under the motto ‘As attractive as on the first day’. This features brands such as Toffifee, Gaffel Kölsch and 4711 Echt Kölnisch Wasser fragrance.
Gifts on purchases of more than €50 include limited editions from Ritter Sport chocolates and LOQI bags. Members of the Heinemann & Me loyalty programme will be presented with a free Schlumberger sparkling wine piccolo.
