Camel milk chocolate maker Al Nassma has been listed with Germany-based travel retailer Gebr. Heinemann, giving the UAE brand potential access to a network of over 230 duty free shops at 62 international airports worldwide.

 

Commenting on the new tie-up, Patrick Dorais (left), Director of Sales at Al Nassma Chocolate, says: “This collaboration is an important milestone for us. Since our company’s launch in 2008 we have established ourselves as a local brand in most duty frees in the GCC region. Partnering with Gebr. Heinemann gives us the opportunity to enter new markets and to grow from a local brand into an internationally meaningful player.”

 

The brand believes that by offering something unusual and “out of the ordinary” in confectionery it can increase footfall, penetration and conversion for the category.

 

As a first step of this newly established partnership, Al Nassma camel milk chocolate products are available at Vienna, Istanbul and Monastir airport stores as well as on MSC Cruises, a major cruise operator. The company says that further points of sales are planned this year.

 

HEINEMANN: ‘LUXURY NOT MASS PRODUCTS’

Gebr. Heineman’s Purchase Director Tobacco and Confectionery, Rüdiger Stelkens (right), says: “The confectionery segment is one of the strongest categories in travel retail and we believe it is important to constantly innovate and re-invent ourselves. Being different, unusual and exciting… those are the criteria we are looking for. Al Nassma is fulfilling this benchmark perfectly.”

 

Stelkens adds: “We believe that, nowadays, customers are looking for luxury and exclusivity rather than for mass products. With brands like Al Nassma we manage to address this customer expectation.”

 

Gebr. Heinemann, based in Hamburg, recently opened its Middle Eastern representative office in Abu Dhabi ahead of the Abu Dhabi Airport Midfield Terminal tender with the aim of increasing business activities in the region.