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For 15 years, we worked with Nisa to host their annual live expo and gala dinner at Stoneleigh Agricultural Centre. Following their transition from Nisa to Co-op Wholesale, we worked closely with the client to design and deliver their first flagship event – The Co-op Wholesale Showcase, to be held 1 year after their official Co-op Wholesale launch.
The aim for this event was to bring Co-op Wholesale’s strong collective of partners, suppliers, and staff together at Co-op Live in Manchester, the UK’s largest indoor arena, to experience a fresh, new, confident experience that clearly reflected Co-op Wholesale’s values, future direction, and strategy.
Shaping the Showcase
The Showcase needed to reset expectations, and cement the day as a ‘must-attend’ event in FMCG industry calendars. This was a true partnership, we acted as an extension of the Co-op Wholesale team, aligning closely on values, messaging and objectives. The planning process started with a full-day meeting between our delivery team and the Co-op Wholesale senior leadership, so we could fully understand their vision, wants and needs, and kick-off with a bang!
We started by stepping back from the legacy Nisa Expo and designing a completely new experience that reflected Co-op Wholesale’s values, ambitions and way of working. That meant rethinking the format, flow and tone from the ground up – from how retailers and suppliers were communicated with, to how the space was zoned and experienced on the day.
A long‑term, nine‑month communications plan was outlined to build anticipation and drive registration, while parallel supplier planning ensured the exhibition was commercially strong and easy to deliver. Every decision was shaped around clarity, energy and scale, creating a confident flagship event that introduced Co-op Wholesale as a brand in its own right.
The Showcase branding was created to signal a clear step change. We coined the name deliberately – this wasn’t just an exhibition, it was a show. The event creative concepts called for something bigger, bolder and more memorable. The identity needed to feel unmistakably Co-op Wholesale, while also standing apart from anything that had come before and bringing a sense of fun into the experience.
We introduced a spotlight visual motif that ran across the branding, lighting, motion graphics and on‑site environments, literally shining a light on Co-op Wholesale’s brand, messages and partners. The result was a confident, ownable look that balanced credibility with energy and helped frame the entire event as a moment worth paying attention to.
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive so far from across retailers and colleagues, and it was an event we can genuinely feel really proud of. You understood the vision and ran with it, you’re absolute pros at what you do!
A day-to-night experience
From the outset, the experience was designed to feel joined‑up, high‑energy and special for everyone involved.
The multichannel communications plan built anticipation well ahead of the event, driving traffic to our custom registration platform, sharing reasons to attend, and keeping retailers and suppliers engaged with clear, consistent messaging. To support driving awareness we also completed a 3 week run of telesales, making over 1,500 phone calls and speaking to retailers directly about the event and reasons to attend.
On the day, we coordinated the entire venue build‑out, supporting the design and build of multiple Co-op Wholesale-owned stands and overseeing the installation of hundreds of pieces of digital, print and motion graphics created by our in‑house creative team to fully brand the space.
Alongside the live exhibition, we built a fully bespoke transactional deals portal and website, enabling retailers and suppliers to view, negotiate and transact deals in real time.
Retailers arrived via a smooth self-service digital check‑in journey, with our team close by on hand to help with any challenges or queries. We also set-up a VIP networking lunch hosted in The Hideaway, setting the tone for key stakeholders and accounts to speak in a private and intimate setting.
Sustainability was embedded throughout, with surplus food donated to local food banks and all carpets and graphic wraps specified for reuse and recycling.
As the day progressed, the energy of the exhibition gave way to a seamless transition into the evening celebration. In a tightly managed turnaround, the bowl transformed from expo floor to awards dinner. Guests arrived to a drinks reception before being led into the space by LED drummers, setting the tone for the night ahead.
Iconic comedian John Bishop hosted the 12 awards, brought to life with bold, bespoke visuals designed by our in‑house creative team. The evening built to a high point with a private performance from the fantastic Kaiser Chiefs, before guests were guided into Vertu Place by Ellie Sax for the afterparty. Here, they could dance with the DJ, take part in the silent disco or simply soak up the atmosphere, before organised transfers returned guests to their hotels.
A confident launch with impact
The Co-op Wholesale Showcase delivered exactly what it set out to do: a clear, confident statement of who the brand is today.
Retailers and suppliers engaged strongly throughout the day, and the evening celebration landed with real energy. The event successfully moved Co-op Wholesale on from the ‘Nisa Expo’ legacy, replacing a familiar format with something fresher, more distinctive and unmistakably theirs.
Most importantly, it strengthened relationships across their network, positioning them as a partner for growth, and set a strong benchmark for what Co-op Wholesale events will look like in the future.
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