Costco bails on books, Domino's AI pizza assistant, and a Dollar Tree sale: Retail news roundup
Costco no longer plans to sell books regularly, largely because the labor to stock and replace them is too much work. Domino’s says AI is helping it figure out when people are ready to order so that it can start making pizzas before customers hit purchase. Dollar Tree is thinking about selling or spinning off its Family Dollar business.
Meanwhile, McDonald’s has lost exclusive rights to its “Big Mac” trademark in Europe and can no longer use the phrase for its chicken sandwiches, and Dr. Pepper bubbles its way into second place with Pepsi as the No. 2 soda brand in America.
Costco bails on books because stocking them is too much work
Costco Wholesale shoppers who are also avid readers may have to look elsewhere for books, as the retailer plans to stop selling them on a regular basis throughout the year starting in January 2025.
Domino’s says it uses AI to make pizzas ‘before people order them’
Domino’s is betting AI will help it make and deliver pizzas faster, according to CEO Russell Weiner, who says the world’s biggest pizza company is already using the technology.
Dollar Tree might sell Family Dollar
Dollar Tree is considering selling its Family Dollar business, the company said Wednesday.
McDonald’s is losing the ‘Big Mac’ trademark in Europe
McDonald’s no longer has exclusive rights to use the “Big Mac” trademark when it comes to chicken products in the European Union, the region’s court of justice said on Wednesday.
Dr. Pepper has tied Pepsi as America’s No. 2 soda
Dr. Pepper is gaining ground in the soda wars. The soft drink is now tied with Pepsi as the second-most popular carbonated soft drink brand in America, according to sales volume data from analytics company Beverage Digest.
Costco’s iconic hot dog combo might cost $1.50 forever. Here’s why
Hot dogs fans have nothing to fear – Costco has no plans to raise the price of its iconic $1.50 frank combo. That’s largely due to a key logistics strategy.
Costco says it’s building an ad network to keep prices low
Costco Wholesale is working to turn all the shopping data it collects into an advertising machine. The retailer aims to strike a deal with an ad-tech firm to ultimately charge advertisers to reach millions of its paying members, said Mark Williamson, Costco’s assistant vice president of retail media .
Black employees of General Mills say a Georgia plant is run by white supremacists
General Mills is being sued by eight Black employees in a Georgia federal court who allege that the company has tolerated decades of a racially hostile work environment at its Covington plant, perpetuated by white supremacists dubbed “Good Ole Boys.”
Walmart is taking its worker shortage into its own hands
Walmart hopes its new program will help it offset its worker shortage. It’s launching a pipeline program that will help it funnel its hourly employees into higher-level positions.
McDonald’s says price hikes aren’t that bad. Executives should keep ‘their mouths shut,’ analyst says
McDonald’s and Starbucks have their hands full — but for all the wrong reasons. One analyst said that McDonald’s pushback on its price hikes came across as a “bit tone deaf.”
T.J. Maxx says employees are using body cameras to keep people from stealing
T.J. Maxx thinks fashioning its employees with police-like body cameras will help it keep its inventory and customers safe. The retailer says the strategy could help reduce theft, though that has yet to be seen.
Orange juice makers might need a substitute fruit as a historic shortage has prices soaring
Juice makers may soon need to replace their orange juice options as the crop braces for a steep decline in production, according to Fundecitrus, a Brazilian research association formed by citrus growers and manufacturers.
Starbucks has an answer for its bad quarter: delivery
Starbucks is hoping Grubhub can help make up for its dreadful quarter. The coffee maker said it plans to make delivery service available nationwide by August 2024.
5 places to score donut deals on National Donut Day
National Donut Day is on Friday (Jun. 7) and those looking to score a sweet treat could be in luck. We’ve compiled a list of five places with deals on the pastries.
Who owns your food? Meet America’s top 10 food tycoons
Big Food is big business — and for chief executives at some of the largest food companies in the U.S., it’s a lofty means of making money. We’ve compiled a list of the average salaries that CEOs at the 10 biggest food and beverage companies in North America make annually.
The 10 highest-paid CEOs
Chief executives had a very, very good year in 2023. We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 highest-paid CEOs, including their industry of focus, and their total compensation.
Chipotle’s CEO says portion sizes aren’t getting smaller — just give a ‘special look’ for more food
Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol is pushing back on claims that the restaurant chain is skimping on food portions. All customers have to do is give employees a slight look.
Gap and Nordstrom are enticing inflation-weary consumers. But Kohl’s is struggling
Retailers Gap and Nordstrom are doing pretty well in the inflation economy, based on their recent earnings, but that’s not true of all retailers — Kohl’s performance fell short.