McDonald's price hikes, IKEA's wage hikes, Walmart's big change, Costco's EVs: Retail news roundup

Walmart is hoping its new technology investment will help make its operations more efficient. The retail giant has plans to implement a new pricing strategy, and it’s digital.

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IKEA is putting in some effort to keep its workers from quitting. That’s because the Swedish furniture maker spends about $5,000 on rehiring each time an employee leaves.

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Sometimes lightning strikes in the salad dressing aisle. Former Yum Brands CEO David Novak — inventor of the Cool Ranch Dorito — breaks down how the beloved chip flavor got its start during a grocery trip to a Texas supermarket in 1984.

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When Howard Schultz, the former chief executive officer of Starbucks, was having a hard time leading the coffee chain, he reached out to Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, for some advice. Jobs gave Schultz guidance, but it would mean making tough calls.

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General Motors says it is confident that Costco is the ticket to boosting its slowed electric-vehicle sales. More specifically, the automaker is tapping into the retailer’s Auto Program.

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Starbucks is joining the value wars as it looks to capture the attention of cash-strapped consumers. The coffee giant has launched its own $5 food and drink bundle.

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Banana giant Chiquita Brands will need to pay $38.3 million to family members of those killed during Colombia’s bloody Civil War after the company was found liable for funding a right-wing paramilitary group.

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California is starting to see the ripple effects that the state’s minimum wage hike is having on fast food chains, according to a report by foot traffic analytics firm Placer.ai. That doesn’t mean consumers aren’t eating out, they’re just doing it at a casual dining restaurant instead.

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Intrusive thoughts? Well, some companies are claiming that gum can help fix that problem — and they’re doling out millions in cash on splashy campaigns to get customers chewing again.

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Walmart has Wall Street’s attention – and it’s pushing the retailer’s stock to an all-time high. Earlier this week, JPMorgan lifted its price target on the retail giant, largely due to its position in a sensitive consumer environment.

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Wall Street has an appetite for Krispy Kreme — and it’s pushing the doughnut maker’s stock up to its highest level in weeks. Truist Securities lifted its price target and adjusted its position, noting that “yes, we want to eat healthy, but we like our sweets.”

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Fast food can be quick, convenient, and above all, pretty tasty. It’s big business, but it can come at a cost, as prices veer towards “luxury” territory. Here’s a list of 8 fast food chains with the highest-calorie menu items, including the specific item, and how many calories it’s stuffed with, according to nutrition database platform Nutritionix.

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McDonald’s is a pioneer when it comes to fast food. The burger maker is well-known for being quick and affordable — and ultimately, a fixture of consumer culture. But the chain’s menu prices have skyrocketed in the last decade. To break this down, we’ve compiled a list of nine menu items with the biggest price hikes, comparing their price in 2014 with what it costs today, and the percentage increase.

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IKEA is getting into gaming for the first time. The Swedish furniture maker said earlier this week that it is looking to hire 10 people for its virtual store on the gaming platform Roblox, who can help customers select their furniture and serve fake meatballs.

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