Drew Barrymore, Shae Hong to Keynote at NRF Big Show

Collaborators Drew Barrymore and Shae Hong will deliver the closing keynote at NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show, reflecting on the launch of the Beautiful line of high-performance appliances and cookware and the company’s success in omnichannel retail.

“Drew Barrymore has an extensive career in film and television, and in recent years, she has capitalized on her creativity by expanding into retail,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Highlighting her collaboration with notable entrepreneur and home cook Shae Hong, the pair will close Retail’s Big Show, sharing how they combine elegant design with premium products that are accessible and affordable for consumers.” 

The closing session on Jan. 16 will feature a conversation between Barrymore and Hong, who worked together on the Beautiful line. The two will discuss their respective companies, how they leverage the intersection of innovation and design, and their mission of fostering human connection in the kitchen and home.

Along with Beautiful, Barrymore also established cosmetics company FLOWER Beauty, and has beauty, eyewear and hair tools in her portfolio. She created her own production company, Flower Films, in 1995. Barrymore is an award-winning actor, appearing in “Never Been Kissed,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “50 First Dates” and other feature films. She is also a published author, releasing “Rebel Homemaker: Food, Family, Life” in 2021.

Hong is a wellness-focused home cook who revolutionized the kitchenware category at age 25 when he founded Made by Gather kitchenware brands. Known for being in tune with the modern consumer, he is credited with bringing fashion to the countertop, capitalizing on contemporary trends, and growing the company on the belief that kitchen essentials can inspire creativity.

In addition to Barrymore and Hong, speakers at NRF 2024 include basketball legend and entrepreneur Earvin “Magic” Johnson, FedEx Corporation President and CEO Raj Subramaniam, Walmart U.S. President and CEO John Furner, Levi Strauss & Co. President Michelle Gass and Under Armour President and CEO Stephanie Linnartz, among others.

The annual convention will be held in New York City Jan. 14-16 and is expected to bring together more than 6,200 brands and approximately 40,000 attendees from nearly 100 countries.

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