Sephora was coming to Wales for the first time, and its new St David’s store in Cardiff needed a launch party to match.

For 150 VIP guests, the agency wanted food that gave their guests a taste of Cardiff, not your stereotypical leeks and daffodils but real showcase of the local food scene. This approach was to show attendees that Sephora was really connected with the people and identity of the city.

Creative twists on Welsh flavours, small enough to eat between browsing, with vegan and gluten-free options throughout. The catch? The event was held in their brand new store with no kitchen on site.

To deliver the event at the unconventional venue, the PIKKLE team setup and operated a mobile catering setup to ensure food was still served fresh. Every tray carried a card naming the local business behind each bite, so guests left knowing exactly where to find more.

We built a bespoke canapé menu from Cardiff’s independent food scene, blending street food flavours with Welsh classics. Tokyo Nights’ Welsh rarebit gyoza and vegan miso aubergine rice crackers, gluten-free chicken skewers and Welsh lamb sausages from Oriel Jones butchers coated in a honey mustard glaze. To bring things to a sweet finish, we served petit fours by Mikey Coggan, and mini Welsh cakes topped with jam and cream from Fabulous Welsh Cakes, including gluten-free versions.

Even the drinks stayed local, with Soleau spring water from Tump Farm near Usk and sparkling presses from Heartsease Farm in Mid-Wales.

The result: Sephora’s arrival in Wales celebrated with a menu rooted in its new home, a seamless service among the shelves, and guests left wanting more.