smartseller celebrates the introduction of two new concepts in 2024
At the Little Slovenia robbon-cutting seremony: (From left to right): Miha Cimerman Head of Operations at smartseller, Aleksandra Velkovski Retail Manager at smartseller, Karl Niendorf Managing Director at smartseller, Urška Binterm Head of Commercial at Fraport Slovenija, Romana Križaj Sales and Marketing Manager at Fraport Slovenija
smartseller, the joint venture between Gebr. Heinemann and casualfood which combines travel retail with food & beverage, is introducing two new concepts, 'Little' and 'You Are Here', this year.
The ‘Little’ retail concept aims to enhance the airport experience of travelers, with ‘Little Slovenia’ implemented for the first time at Ljubljana Airport.
Little Slovenia is situated in the waiting lounge of the non-Schengen area and caters to various passenger needs, including a food and beverage offer, a duty-free assortment and local souvenirs. The bar with a spacious seating area offers plenty of room to spend quality time right before boarding. The design of Little Slovenia is said to reflect a modern interpretation of the country: with wooden elements and touches of greenery, it creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere for passengers passing through.
In Little Slovenia, the new smartseller concept is, according to Gebr. Heinemann and casualfood manifesting itself.
It is specially designed to cover the core travel retail areas such as Duty Free, Food & Beverage, Convenience, as well as Book & Press on smaller areas of 50–200 square meters. The concept is modular and can be implemented without structural intervention into almost any infrastructure at a terminal. Therefore, airports can quickly and easily integrate the concept. References to the local area are a key element. Because of its hybrid design, the concept appeals to different target groups: business and frequent travelers will feel at home here as well as first-time and occasional travelers and families.
Karl Niendorf, smartseller Managing Director, said, “The space at the gate in particular often offers scope for an appealing retail concept. Before boarding, travelers are relaxed and open to offers which fit into that moment. The Little concept has been created especially to fill this gap. We are delighted to have implemented it for the first time together with our trusted partners from Fraport Slovenija, which operates Ljubljana Airport. More airports are to follow.”
Urška Binter, Head of Commercial at Airport Ljubljana, added, “The innovative concept fits in seamlessly with our departure area and is already one of the highlights among non-Schengen passengers. We are proud to unveil this project together with smartseller, bringing the future of retail and F&B to Ljubljana Airport, in efforts to continuously enhance the travel experience.”
‘All Yours’ rebranded to ‘You Are Here’
“We have sharpened up the concept, so a rebranding and a new name are the logical consequence,” Niendorf said.
You Are Here at Albrecht Dürer Airport Nuremberg: (from left to right): Klaus Dotzauer Managing Director Nuremberg Airport, Sebastian Schäfer Managing Director at smartseller Nuremberg, Karl Niendorf Managing Director at smartseller
You Are Here will be the brand under which smartseller offers added value to regional airports by combining travel retail, food & beverage, and convenience. The traveler experience will be even more tailored to the location and the occasion of traveling. The entire rebranding will be completed in winter 2024. Travelers can already get a glimpse of the look and feel of You Are Here at Albrecht Dürer Airport Nuremberg where the first section of the 250 square meter store was recently opened under the new branding. Further conversions are to follow, creating a total area of 1,200 square meters. The strong regional connection to Nuremberg and the region of Franconia will also be reflected in the culinary offerings.
The All Yours space in Ljubljana will also be rebranded as You Are Here. Sebastian Schäfer, Managing Director of smartseller Nuremberg, added: “With the completion of the first section we are already able to give our passengers a good impression of how progressive our shop will be once all stages of construction are finished. You are here and the way it is implemented shows what can be achieved when airport und retailer joins forces and my team and I are very proud to be part of it.”
