Gebr Heinemann has made its retailing debut at St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport, recently opening two stores, of 339sq m and 114sq m respectively. The stores are branded under the Heinemann Duty Free name and offer a full range of duty free goods.
“St. Petersburg represents another important step as we continue to establish the Heinemann Duty Free retail brand in all key markets around the world,” said Gebr Heinemann Co-Owner Claus Heinemann.
The Hamburg-based company has many years of Russian retail experience, with Russia and the CIS among Gebr Heinemann’s three largest sales regions. Its distribution operations supply a large number of Russian airport and border shops, ferry-based outlets, airlines and diplomatic services. As a retailer, it also operates duty free shops at Moscow-Domodedovo, Moscow Sheremetyevo and Kiev (Ukraine) airports in cooperation with local partners.
The opening at St. Petersburg is highly significant for the German travel retailer – duty free has been dominated by Aer Rianta International-led joint venture Lenrianta since the business began in 1989.
As previously reported, the Northern Capital Gateway consortium – which includes Frankfurt Airport owner Fraport – took over operations at Pulkovo Airport in April 2010 under a 30-year management deal. The consortium pledged to introduce more competition between concessionaires [though Lenrianta has competed against smaller, local retailers for many years –Ed] and confirmed that the planned new international terminal would have “a minimum of two” duty free retailers and at least two food & beverage concessionaires.
Claus Heinemann said: “In 2013 there will be a tender process for the new terminal in St. Petersburg, and we hope to make a successful bid once again – particularly as we have identified outstanding potential for growth in both air passenger numbers and the travel retail sector here in Russia.”

News source: The Moodie Report
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