The history of the company starts in Hamburg on 1st November 1879, when Carl Friedrich Eduard Heinemann and his elder brother Heinrich Christian Carl Heinemann register a company to supply tax and duty free commodities to ships’ chandlers as a business enterprise.

Heinrich’s son Otto joins the company as a partner.

Otto’s brother Richard joins the company. The brothers make an excellent team: while Otto investigates new ideas, Richard maintains and expands business relations with suppliers and customers.

The company celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Following the premature death of Richard Heinemann, Otto nominates his son Helmut Heinemann as a partner in 1937.

For the second time after 1910, the company experiences the burning down of the warehouse: In the Hamburg firestorm, the warehouse at Sandtorkai wharf is completely destroyed.

Times are hard. By the end of the Second World War, Gebr. Heinemann has lost the majority of its customers in the Baltic ports. The company manages to stay afloat by selling hot drinks and bicycle pumps.

Icelandic Airlines becomes Gebr. Heinemann’s first airline client. The following year a contract is signed with Deutsche Lufthansa, which commences flights on 1st April 1955. By the end of the 1950s, the rise of air tourism has created a new market; perfumes and cosmetics are added to the product range.

The first Duty Free counter at a German airport opens in Frankfurt; operated by the state, the goods are supplied by Gebr. Heinemann.

The huge storm tide that hits Hamburg on 16th February completely submerges the company’s warehouse, rendering much of the stock unusable. Thanks to the spontaneous help of its suppliers, however, Gebr. Heinemann recovers quickly and is soon renting more storage space in the free port area.

Horst Heinemann establishes an import department for high quality tobacco products, which goes on to become the subsidiary Tabak GmbH.

Gebr. Heinemann acquires its first concessions for Duty Free shops at Cologne Bonn Airport.

The company opens its first shops at Frankfurt Airport. From the outset, Frankfurt is one of the most important retail sites behind the business success of Gebr. Heinemann. Having started out as a traditional wholesaler, the company has now become a retailer too. The travel retail market at airports emerges as the most important field of business.

The company relocates its warehouse to Magdeburger Strasse 3 (renamed “Koreastrasse 3” in 2007). Levels 6 and 7 are added in 1986 to house administration offices.

The fourth Heinemann generation officially joins the company in its centennial year: Gunnar and Claus Heinemann progressively supersede their fathers in the day-to-day running of the business. They set about systematically expanding activities on the international travel retail market. Alongside ferries, airlines and airports, border shops on the new national borders are supplied with tax and duty free goods.

When Duty Free sales within the EU come to an end on 30th June 1999, Gebr. Heinemann launches Travel Value as a successor model for the whole European market: regardless of destination, all travellers can continue shopping while paying the same prices.

As the company grows steadily, its storage capacity is exceeded. In response, a Logistics Centre in the Hamburg district of Allermöhe commences operations in 2003. The new warehouse is the biggest investment in the company’s history until then.

The company celebrates its 125th anniversary. With the European Union continuing to expand, Gebr. Heinemann develops the Travel Free concept for border shops (a counterpart to Travel Value at airports).

Gebr. Heinemann secures the concession for the Duty Free shops at Copenhagen Airport, which the company takes over early in March 2007.

Gebr. Heinemann unveils the new Heinemann Duty Free retail brand at Hamburg Airport. The Heinemann name shines out above the shops in red, blue and silver. Having given Duty Free a face, the company seeks to consolidate the trust of shoppers.

Shops adopt the new brand design in Frankfurt, the company’s second major location. In the years that follow, Gebr. Heinemann sets about transforming all of its airport shops.

Claus and Gunnar Heinmann are awarded the Hamburg „Gründerpreis für das Lebenswerk“ (Founder's prize for their lifetime achievemants).

Gebr. Heinemann is also moving into Asia, securing its first concessions for fashion label boutiques and establishing a subsidiary in Singapore.

To keep pace with its global expansion, Gebr. Heinemann opts to build another logistics centre. In the autumn of 2011 construction work begins on a project in Erlensee, close to Frankfurt; the total investment will be approximately 70 million euros.

The company changes its legal form to become Gebr. Heinemann SE & Co. KG.

All of the company’s Duty Free shops in Norway are redesigned to reflect the Heinemann Duty Free brand.

New Heinemann Duty Free walk-through shops also open in Vienna’s new ‘Check-in 3’ terminal.

Gebr. Heinemann establishes a subsidiary to serve the US market which will initially focus on the cruise market. 

The Tax Free shops at Copenhagen Airport are revamped as they prepare to unveil the new ‘Tax Free by Heinemann’ look in March. Gebr. Heinemann is now established as one of the top three players on the international travel retail market.

Gebr. Heinemann wins major concessions for e. g. Sydney, Tunesia and St. Petersburg as well as new supply contracts are secured. Shops are opened at the airports in Kuala Lumpur and Catania as well as at various Russian airports and cruise liners.

In mid-June the new Logistics Centre in Erlensee near Frankfurt starts operations and forms the second backbone of Gebr. Heinemann’s logistics.

Largest single success in the company’s history: alongside with its Turkish partner Unifree, the company wins a 25 year tender at the yet-to-be-opened Istanbul New Airport.

At Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Gebr. Heinemann starts a joint venture with Schiphol Airport Retail.

The company is awarded the German Retail Prize.

Gebr. Heinemann is continuing to focus on its global expansion and establishes a joint venture with the largest duty free operator in Malaysia “Duty Free International“ (DFI).

Opening of the world´s largest airport duty free shop in Sydney and the arrival of the world’s largest duty free shop in Oslo.

The joint venture of the family-run companies Gebr. Heinemann and James Richardson wins the concession for Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.

Gunnar's son Max Heinemann becomes CEO of Gebr. Heinemann. Gunnar and Claus Heinemann move from operational management to the newly formed Board of Directors. The company is now jointly managed by the fourth and fifth generations.

Gebr. Heinemann celebrates its 140th anniversary and records positive business developments in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the USA.

The new Istanbul Airport will officially open in April 2019 and with it numerous stores of the joint venture Unifree as well as the "Luxury Hill" as a new benchmark for FAWJ in global travel-retail.

The positive start to the year and the opening of the Vision Hub GHARAGE is followed by the most severe crisis in the company's history. All business areas are affected by the Corona pandemic. Where possible, Gebr. Heinemann announces short-time work for employees. In October, the Berlin Brandenburg Airport is completed. The Heinemann Shops open with an area of 5,400 square meters.

The travel market continues to suffer from pandemic-related restrictive travel rules and fewer travelers.

In October, Heinemann Asia Pacific makes its debut in the Asian domestic market with 780 square meters of store space at Lisboeta Mall in Macau.

With the vision, values and customer promises of the new mission statement, the company gives itself a new strategic direction.

The "Wonder of the Seas" sets off on its maiden voyage as the world's largest cruise ship with seven Heinemann Shops.

The first Sales & Supplier Summit is held in Hamburg with more than 700 suppliers, customers and business partners from all over the world. Stakeholders experience the mission statement in interactive form.

A tender win guarantees the return to Düsseldorf Airport in 2023.