Data & Analytics

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Hy-Vee has introduced a mobile application that it said could make locating pie crust in its stores as easy as saying "pie."

The supermarket chain announced the release of the app, which allows customers to locate products, browse ads, search for recipes, build shopping lists, shop and interact with the company through social media. The app is built on the AT&T Mobile Enterprise Applications Platform and uses Taqtile Mobility's Shingle solution.

Dallas -- HR solution-provider PeopleAnswers and Canada-based Town Shoes, which sells under Town Shoes and The Shoe Co., announced Tuesday that Town Shoes will use the PeopleAnswers pre-employment and employee selection solution in its 124 stores across Canada.

Covington, La. -- Stirling Properties announced it has acquired Shreveport, La.-based Avant Properties, strengthening Stirling’s presence in the Gulf South.

Avant Properties’ current personnel and portfolio will be integrated into Stirling Properties operations. 

Albany, N.Y. -- Social media marketing agency Media Logic said Tuesday that 70 new brands have been added to its Retail Social Juice Index, bringing the total number of tracked brands to nearly 700.

The additions, including eBay, DKNY and Zappos, creates a more comprehensive industry index and provide users with a broader competitive set for comparison, according to Media Logic.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target has promoted John Mulligan to the position of EVP and CFO, effective April 1. Mulligan currently serves as SVP finance. He replaces Doug Scovanner, Target’s EVP and CFO for the past 18 years, who announced his retirement in November 2011, effective March 31. 

Oak Brook, Ill. -- McDonald’s Corp. reported Tuesday that consolidated revenues for fiscal 2011 rose 12% to a record-high $27 billion. The restaurant chain also said that global same-store sales increased 5.6% for the year ended Dec. 31, with positive comps across all geographic segments for every quarter.

"During 2011, McDonald's continued momentum drove higher profitability and market share gains as we fortified our leadership position around the world," said McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner.

New York City -- Retail workforce management solution-provider WorkPlace Systems announced that Rite Aid will use WorkPlace OnLine, a cloud-based Schedule and Attendance Management service, at all Rite Aid stores.

West Chester, Ohio -- Ikea said Tuesday that it has officially plugged-in the solar energy system installed at its Cincinnati-area store in West Chester, Ohio. 

The 128,000-sq.-ft. PV array consists of a 1,026-kW system, built with 4,186 panels. Ikea West Chester’s program will produce approximately 1,334,300 kWh of clean electricity annually, the equivalent of reducing 1,014 tons of carbon dioxide, eliminating the emissions of 180 cars or powering 115 homes yearly.