Heinemann extends Vilnius Airport duty free contract for six years

LITHUANIA. Gebr Heinemann has retained its duty free contract at Vilnius International Airport for another six years, beating competition from Lagardère Travel Retail.

The German company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Travel Retail Vilnius has run ten Heinemann Duty Free & Travel Value shops at the Baltic airport since 2008.

As part of the contract extension Heinemann will introduce a new design concept and its retail footprint will expand to 1,500sq m from 1,060sq m as it reconfigures its space over six stores. A large walk-through store and a new shop in the non-Schengen area will be introduced and four additional shops in the Schengen area will be enlarged and redesigned.

The airport will invest €1.9 million and Heinemann €3.8 million in the fit-out, Lithuanian Airports Head of Non-Aviation Services Justinas Stepšys told The Moodie Davitt Report. Construction will start at the beginning of February with the opening of the main walk-through expected at the end of June, he said.

Gebr Heinemann is set to reconfigure the space and design of its Vilnius Airport duty free stores to six locations, down from the current ten

The stores will feature an extended range of local and international brands across fragrances & cosmetics, tobacco, liquor, confectionery and accessories. Lithuanian products across core categories as well as gourmet food, souvenirs, textile products (wool, linen, felt and similar), designer accessories and artwork will be also a part of the offer, confirmed Stepšys.

Lithuanian Airports CEO Gediminas Almantas stated: “We are very delighted to have Gebr Heinemann, as one of the world’s top airport retail operators, again taking responsibility for our Vilnius duty free shops. The Hanseatic company has been a strategic, sustainable and preferred partner of Lithuanian airports for the last ten years.

“Before the end of 2017, Heinemann submitted the best bid for the Vilnius Airport duty free operation, including a sensational design concept. The proposal includes the extension of the commercial area up to 1,500sq m and substantial improvement of both retail facilities and quality at Vilnius Airport for the next six years.”

A focus on local products will be a particular highlight, according to Gebr Heinemann Sales Director Russia/CIS Bernard Schlafstein

“We are really happy about the contract extension and the good partnership with Vilnius International Airport which will continue long-term,” added Gebr Heinemann Sales Director Russia/CIS Bernard Schlafstein.

“In the last ten years, we have invested a lot in the Lithuanian market, including [employment], and we are convinced that we will continue to be able to offer passengers in Vilnius an exciting shopping experience which will focus on local brands.”

The contract with Vilnius International Airport was extended following the opening of three Heinemann Duty Free and Travel Value shops at Kaunas Airport in July 2017. As a result, Travel Retail Vilnius will extend its presence in Lithuania to a total of around 1,900sq m.

Vilnius International Airport, which serves over 3.8 million passengers a year, reopened in August 2017 on the completion of a €19 million reconstruction project. During the 35-day construction period, flights were redirected to Kaunas Airport, which had expanded its facilities to cope with the increase in passenger numbers.

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