Bringing the Best Sellers Arcade to Life
Client: Australian Exhibition & Event Consulting Services (AEEC Services) for Snackbrands Australia
Event: Metcash Expo 2026
Venue: Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre
Stand Size: 6m × 3m Peninsula Stand (18sqm)
Project Highlights
- • “Best Sellers Arcade” design conceptualised by AEEC Services
- • Custom Snackbrands-branded pinball competition
- • Custom arcade-inspired fabrication and graphics
- • Product sampling and retail merchandising displays
- • Hospitality and customer meeting areas
- • Large-format illuminated branding
- • Exhibition design, custom fabrication, project management, logistics and installation
Project Overview
Metcash Expo is one of Australia’s largest trade events for independent supermarket, convenience and liquor retailers. Held annually, it brings together hundreds of suppliers and thousands of buyers, providing a platform for new product launches, category innovation and commercial conversations ahead of the year ahead.
For Metcash Expo 2026, Grand Stand Events was engaged by Australian Exhibition & Event Consulting Services (AEEC) to deliver Snackbrands Australia’s exhibition stand.
AEEC developed the Best Sellers Arcade concept, creating an exhibition experience inspired by nostalgia, classic arcade games and some of Australia’s most recognisable snack brands. Our role was to take that concept from drawings to the exhibition floor, fabricating and delivering every custom element while working closely with the AEEC Services team throughout the project.
The finished stand combined interactive gaming, oversized product graphics, illuminated features and bold branding within an 18sqm footprint. It was designed to stop buyers in the aisle, encourage them to step inside and create a natural starting point for conversations with the Snackbrands team.
The Brief
Metcash Expo is one of the largest buying events on the Australian retail calendar. Hundreds of brands compete for attention over two days, making first impressions count.
Snackbrands needed a stand that could showcase multiple brands within a relatively compact footprint while giving retailers a reason to stop, stay and engage with the team. The space also needed to support product sampling, customer meetings and commercial conversations without feeling crowded or competing with the products themselves.
The Design
Rather than relying on traditional retail displays, the design introduced a central activation that drew visitors into the stand.
A large suspended overhead LED media banner established visibility across the exhibition hall, while a custom illuminated chip packet anchored the space below. Large-format product graphics, vibrant colours and integrated digital content reinforced the arcade theme throughout the stand, creating a recognisable identity from every approach.
At the centre sat a custom Cheezel branded pinball machine, where visitors competed throughout the exhibition for the highest score and the chance to take the machine home. Hospitality and meeting areas were positioned around the activation, allowing conversations to continue without interrupting the flow of visitors through the stand.
Although compact, the layout maintained clear sightlines and comfortable circulation, allowing multiple conversations and product interactions to happen at the same time.
The Build
Projects like this are won or lost in the details.
Our workshop fabricated the illuminated chip packet feature, reception counter, wall graphics and supporting architectural elements before the project moved onsite for installation. Behind the finished presentation sat careful coordination across fabrication, graphics, lighting, rigging, flooring and services.
The raised black marble floor defined the exhibition footprint, while concealed storage kept the stand organised throughout the event. Every custom component was built to match AEEC Services approved design, allowing the finished stand to remain true to the original concept.
The Visitor Experience
The Best Sellers Arcade invited visitors to do more than browse product displays.
The custom Snackbrands-branded pinball machine quickly became a focal point, with visitors competing throughout the exhibition for the chance to take the machine home. The competition encouraged repeat visits across both days and created a natural starting point for conversations with the Snackbrands team.
Around the activation, product displays, sampling opportunities and meeting areas gave retailers the chance to explore the range, discuss new products and connect with the team in a relaxed environment. The open layout kept people moving comfortably through the stand while supporting a steady flow of conversations throughout the event.
The Result
The Best Sellers Arcade gave Snackbrands Australia a memorable presence at one of the country’s most important retail buying events. The finished space translated a creative idea into a practical environment that supported product launches, retailer meetings and commercial conversations across the two-day Expo.
For Grand Stand Events, the project also reflected the value of genuine collaboration. Michelle at Australian Exhibition & Event Consulting Services developed a distinctive creative direction, and our role was to carry that vision through every stage of fabrication, project management and installation with the same level of care and attention to detail.
“The best projects are the ones where everyone is pulling in the same direction, and that’s exactly what this felt like. AEE are fantastic to work with, and it was great to see such a creative concept come together exactly as it was intended. We’re really proud to have been part of it.”
Emma Surrest
Senior Account Manager, Grand Stand Events
The result was a finished stand that accurately reflected the original design intent while delivering the quality and craftsmanship both AEE and Snackbrands expected. We’d like to thank Michelle for her trust, partnership and collaboration throughout the project, and we look forward to working together again on future exhibitions.
BRANDS WE’VE MADE STAND OUT
