ICA's 100th anniversary

When ICA celebrated 100 years, Contrast was commissioned to create a celebration for 550 ICA retailers and staff.

"It was a real celebration, just as we wanted!"

Our client was ICA in south-eastern Sweden, who wanted as many ICA retailers as possible in the region to come and participate in the celebration of ICA's 100th anniversary. As each retailer would be paying for the dinner packages, it was important to find the best possible quality at a reasonable price, in terms of food, entertainment and venue hire.

The event was a traditional celebration on a limited budget, but with the help of our network, we were able to deliver the party atmosphere and tribute to the staff that the client wanted. Contrast chose Växjö as the venue because of its location in the middle of the region and Telekonsult Arena as the party venue. As food supplier, we arranged 'Food and Drink', the catering part of the Guide Michelin restaurant 'PM & Vänner'. The entertainment was provided by two of our extremely professional suppliers and a DJ.

Despite the traditional - and in our world 'simple' - set-up, our challenge was to manage the logistics so that the 550 guests had a pleasant experience. For large parties, it's particularly important to minimize any queuing and ensure that there is a natural flow in the venue. That's why we had a large number of hosts to help with the coats so that everyone could move quickly into the venue; there was plenty of space to mingle at the bar; we created a natural flow where none of the 550 people had to queue for food at the chef's buffet. We actually managed to serve 550 guests in just 15 minutes! It turned out to be a really good classic party, even 'night food' before going home!