TRAVELERS
Emotions with Nullpunkt Functional Fragrances
GHARAGE vision hub of Gebr. Heinemann incubates first start-up.
Nullpunkt is the start-up incubated within Gebr. Heinemann’s vision hub GHARAGE. It developed four functional fragrances and has set out to make them the people’s favorite premium brand for well-being and mindfulness. With Nullpunkt, Gebr. Heinemann primarily intends to attract new target groups, requiring the company to open up new sales channels and, above all, gain experience.
“We need to meet the needs of the market – especially in niche areas. With this product launch, we are getting to know our customers better on the one hand, and on the other, we are a valuable travel companion in line with our Gebr. Heinemann mission statement,” says Amanda Mai Khuong-Duc, Co-Founder Nullpunkt Functional Fragrances. With Nullpunkt, Gebr. Heinemann is entering the brand world revolving around well-being and mindfulness – and with an innovative premium offer at that.
Aromatherapy Meets Fragrances
When am I no longer in balance, and when and how do I do something about it? These are questions preoccupying society these days, and they have gained in significance especially during the pandemic. “We wanted to develop a tool to help people rediscover their inner balance in the face of fatigue and stress,” the project owner explains. While reading through research results on this topic, the start-up team quickly came across fragrances. “Of all our senses, the sense of smell is the one that directly triggers our limbic system – a fast lane to our emotions, if you will.”
During its search for a partner, the start-up stumbled upon a French perfumer with a lab in Berlin who was able to bring to life the fragrance compositions that had already been conceptualized. “The expertise of a perfumer was crucial, because we wanted to create a complex fragrance, one that people use several times a day and integrate into their routine,” says Amanda Mai Khuong-Duc. The four fragrances are “0.1 Relieve”, “0.2 Release”, “0.3 Refocus”, and “0.4 Refuel”, and they help with stress, anxiety, and fatigue. The first two have a calming and grounding effect, while 0.3 and 0.4 are energizing and refreshing thanks to their notes of citrus fruit. They are to be used depending on the situation, and applied, for instance, on the wrist or neck. The essential fragrant oils are sourced from a factory in Grasse, France. The essential oil vetiver contained in 0.1 originates from Haiti and Java.
Sustainability was a major priority during product development for Nullpunkt: the fragrances’ ingredients are natural, the vials recyclable, and the packaging is made of FSC-certified material. The products are 100 percent vegan and are certified by the Vegan Society. And in December they earned the Na True international quality seal for natural cosmetics. “As an innovative premium brand, Nullpunkt is a good example of how we are delivering on our mission statement at Gebr. Heinemann by being a valuable travel companion and offering our customers a spectacular and sustainable product range,” says Dr. Dirk Schneider, CCO. “For Gebr. Heinemann it’s about inventing on behalf of the consumer, about having a purpose as well as being able to think big, act boldly, and learn fast.”
Launch in Copenhagen
Nullpunkt has been available via its own online shop at www.nullpunkt.co since fall 2022 and has been successively introduced at select Heinemann shops at airports around the world since then. The travel retail launch took place in February 2023 at Copenhagen Airport, which also serves as a test location for sales of the product. “The analysis will help us decide which sites might be relevant overall. As of May, the products will start to be available for in-flight purchases, and we will of course continue to push our own and domestic channels,” Amanda Mai Khuong-Duc stresses. Right now, the company is focusing on expanding the domestic sales strategy and planning where Nullpunkt should be positioned.
Lennard Niemann, Managing Director of GHARAGE, adds: “We are convinced that we will generate great resonance with Nullpunkt, not only in the travel retail segment but also outside of it – because the philosophy of the product fits the spirit of the times; it’s innovative, and the topic of well-being is becoming ever more important.”
“We need to meet the needs of the market – especially in niche areas. With this product launch, we are getting to know our consumer better on the one hand, and on the other, we are a valuable travel companion in line with our Gebr. Heinemann mission statement.”
Amanda Mai Khuong-Duc, Co-Founder Nullpunkt Functional Fragrances
