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Iceland's Keflavik Airport Welcomes Heinemann as New Duty-Free Operator
Airports across the Nordics are raising the bar on retail and F&B in early 2025. By this spring, one of the most important changes will come at Iceland's Keflavik Airport as global travel retailer Gebr. Heinemann will, for the first time, take over the airport's duty-free operations. It is the first time that Isavia, the operator of the airport, has outsourced the management of its retail. Keflavik is Iceland's largest international airport and is well-located near Reykjavík, the nation's capital.
The tender process received four bids, and Hamburg-based Heinemann came out top in the concession for a total area of 43,000 square feet. Among requirements from Isavia was a stipulation that at least 30% of the product assortment must be Icelandic.
Jens Wolf, Heinemann's Sales Director for the Nordics, said of this commitment to Icelandic culture:
"A strong regional Icelandic sense was a requirement, and it will play the main role in the future shopping experience. This will be complemented by international brands across all product categories. For now, our focus is on close collaboration with all stakeholders to realize our plans."
New Duty-Free Stores Underway at Keflavik Airport
Heinemann is preparing two major retail spaces at Keflavik Airport:
- The 18,300 square-foot departure shop (1,700 square meters).
- The arrivals store is to be larger - an outlet of about 25,500 square feet, plus a gate unit (2,280 square meters).
Guðmundur Daði Rúnarsson, Chief Commercial Officer at Keflavik Airport, provided this comment upon announcing the transfer:
"This change will bring advantages for passengers, the airport, and the community. We are also significantly increasing the airport's revenue."
Avolta Expands in Norway with Oslo Gardermoen Concession
Meanwhile, Swiss-based Avolta cemented its 15-year relationship with Avinor, the state-owned Norwegian airport operator, with a concession to operate 10 F&B outlets at Oslo Gardermoen - the busiest airport in Norway.