Tens of thousands of retail professionals from all over the world will fill New York City’s Javits Center for Retail’s Big Show from Jan. 13 to 16, 2024. The draw? More than 1,000 exhibitors and 170 sessions featuring a wide array of speakers, from leading retailers to suppliers, analysts and other industry experts — plus a bit of star power (basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Martha Stewart and Drew Barrymore, to name a few).
Keynote presenters will include:
- John Furner, President and CEO, Walmart U.S.;
- Stephanie Linnartz, President and CEO, Under Armour;
- Raj Subramaniam, President and CEO, FedEx;
- Michelle Gass, President, Levi Strauss & Co.;
- Philippe Schaus, CEO, Moët Hennessy; and
- Bob Eddy, CEO, BJ’s Wholesale Club.
Other retail execs sharing their secrets and success stories represent brands including Crocs, Claire’s, Sephora, Pacsun, The Vitamin Shoppe and L.L.Bean.
Spotlights on Supply Chain, Sustainability and RMNs
New at the 2024 event is the retailer-only Supply Chain 360 Summit being held on Sunday, Jan. 14, with sessions covering AI’s role in inventory visibility and optimization, best practices for boosting last-mile capabilities. The summit will feature speakers from Target, Northern Tool + Equipment and Walmart. Even with the worst effects of COVID now in the past, global supply chains still face plenty of challenges, from climate change to war and terrorism.
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The Big Show also will host a half-day workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 16 focused on creating a profitable and circular retail industry. Limited to 120 executives, the workshop will feature speakers from Amazon, Macy’s, GoodwillFinds, Trove and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, along with NRF VP for CSR and Sustainability Scot Case.
Before the Big Show’s official start, the NRF and Stratacache will present a full-day session on Saturday, Jan. 13, What’s in Store for Retail Media Networks. For those who want to check out actual stores in the retail mecca that is New York City, guided retail store tours begin at 10 a.m. on Jan. 13. That’s also the date for the event’s opening night party, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Marriott Marquis Times Square hotel.
Jan. 13 is also Super Saturday, the 15th annual networking and informational event from RetailROI, taking place from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Darryl McDaniels of Run-DMC will be the featured speaker, joined by brands including Carter’s, Pepsico, Solo Brands and Nike. RetailROI is one of the industry’s leading charitable organizations, dedicated to helping the world’s 400 million vulnerable children.
Focus on Foodservice, Innovation and Startups
The NRF show floor will have various specialized areas, including the NRF Innovation Lab, featuring more than 50 visionary tech companies showcasing the latest applications in AI, augmented reality, robotics, facial recognition, data analytics and Web3. The Startup Hub also will feature new solutions from young companies offering examples of a wide range of retail technologies.
The Foodservice Innovation Zone will reflect the increased roles for technology in a field that’s embracing new formats and venues to satisfy consumers’ hunger and thirst. That includes POS systems that can manage both merchandise and menu items, as well as inventory management software that once only had to track the latest fashion trends and are now being used to ensure fresh ingredients are in stock for the lunch rush.
