In June 2025, Musgrave Northern Ireland set out to bring its ‘Love Local. So Do We!’ campaign to life through a high-profile stakeholder event at St George’s Market, Belfast. The event was timed to support the launch of ‘Growing Good Business’, an Economic and Social Impact Report prepared by economists at Grant Thornton on behalf of Musgrave NI.
This was not just a launch event. It was a live expression of Musgrave’s local commitment, designed for an audience of dignitaries, MPs, politicians, suppliers, influencers, media and key stakeholders. The challenge was to create an environment that felt authentic, one that celebrated local suppliers in a way that was relaxed and credible, while giving Musgrave a strong platform to communicate the scale of its economic contribution.
St George’s Market suited the event in location, size and its nod to local, but it introduced a number of operational challenges. The space had to be transformed into a branded supplier showcase with staging, cooking facilities, food storage and a media area, all while protecting the character of the venue and Musgrave’s brand reputation. Every touchpoint mattered. The guest journey, the stage programme, the supplier experience and the media moments all had to feel like part of one clear story: Musgrave does not just talk about supporting local. It invests in it.
Gone Rogue worked with Musgrave to shape, manage and deliver the event from planning through to live execution. We oversaw the creation of a bespoke branded event environment within St George’s Market, including draping, a Love Local shell scheme, branded wall graphics, and a stage area with AV setup, podium, seating and a dedicated media and photo area.
Twelve identical artisan-style kiosks were designed and produced for local suppliers, giving each producer a consistent, branded presence while keeping the focus on the products and the people behind them. The supplier showcase was central to the experience, allowing guests to engage directly with local businesses. Within the space we created a cooking area for Musgrave’s in-house chef, Clement, to cook local food supplied by Musgrave NI.
A short film was produced to support the main stage programme, telling the story of Musgrave’s history and local partnerships, and communicating the key takeaways from the Economic Impact Report. On the event management side, Gone Rogue coordinated supplier liaison, venue walkthroughs, health and safety checks, brand consistency, AV testing, speaker briefings, staff coordination and the final guest-facing details. The event took in a drinks reception, an acoustic performance, formal speeches, a Q&A panel, cookery demonstrations and media activity.
The result was a high-profile stakeholder event that launched ‘Love Local. So Do We!’ on the front foot. It gave Musgrave the opportunity to demonstrate its economic impact, celebrate its relationships with local suppliers, and strengthen connections with key stakeholders. The branded supplier showcase put local producers in the spotlight, while the report and the presentations gave Musgrave a way to communicate the impact of its retail, wholesale and foodservice business on Northern Ireland, supporting more than 5,000 jobs and working with 250 local suppliers. The subsequent recognition of ‘Love Local. So Do We!’ as Best Marketing Campaign at the Grocers Awards 2026 further underlined the strength of the campaign, and the role of the event in bringing that message to life.
