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ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday announced its CDC Flu App Challenge to identify innovative and creative uses of technology that would help raise awareness of influenza and/or educate consumers on ways to prevent and treat the flu. All told, the challenge will award up to $42,500 in prizes.

The submission period runs through May 27; winners will be announced June 8.

CINCINNATI — Kroger is the latest retailer to join the Diabetes Prevention and Control Alliance as a partner.

The supermarket conglomerate will implement the DPCA's Diabetes Control Program, which is designed to help patients gain better control of their condition, at select store pharmacies, including stores in the Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton, Ohio, markets. The retailer also will offer the program in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Las Vegas later this year.

ATLANTA — The National Center for Health Statistics earlier this month issued a report showing that use of dietary supplements has been on an upward trajectory over the past decade — only 40% of Americans took supplements in 1988, compared with 53% who took supplements in 2006.

ATLANTA — Hair accessories brand Goody is making it easy to create sexy summer waves with its new Summer Waves foam rollers available this month at Walgreens.

The rollers have a contoured shape and new design to create natural-looking waves, the company stated. The pack of 15 large foam rollers features built-in clips so there's no additional pins or clips required.

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola's 100% recyclable beverage packages have premiered on store shelves.

The company's Dasani and Odwalla brands' single-serving bottles now will feature PlantBottle packaging, which is touted as the first-ever fully recyclable plastic beverage bottle produced using plants.

Coca-Cola said that in 2010, more than 2.5 billion PlantBottle packages were available across nine countries. For 2011, that number is expected to double to more than 5 billion PlantBottle packages in more than 15 countries.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart Stores said it will open a new office in Atlanta, positioning the retailer to more effectively manage nearly 1,600 stores in 20 Eastern U.S. states and focus on opportunities to grow its business in such states as New York.

The new Eastern business unit will be run by Rosalind Brewer, president of Walmart East and EVP Walmart U.S.

ATLANTA — The maker behind such brands as Goody and Sharpie has expanded its board of directors to 12 members.

Newell Rubbermaid said it elected Kevin Conroy, Univision Interactive Media president, to its board. Prior to his position at Univision, Conroy worked as AOL's EVP global products and marketing.

ATLANTA — Three years after purchasing a minority stake in Honest Tea, an organic bottled tea company, Coca-Cola said it has exercised its option to acquire the remaining portion of the company.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but Coca-Cola did note that Honest Tea would continue its operations outside of Bethesda, Md., and will continue to operate as a stand-alone business. Honest Tea will be led by current CEO Seth Goldman, his management team and current Honest Tea employees.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy has announced the launch of the 2011 To Your Health program, offering free preventive health screenings at more than 800 events in communities across the country. The program is designed to help Americans determine their risk for chronic diseases and get them on a path to better health.

The program will get under way in Houston on March 5, and continue in Dallas, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago and Miami.

ST. LOUIS — Aisle411, a mobile retail navigation service that helps shoppers locate products down to the shelf location, on Tuesday announced its service now is live in more than 1,000 stores. The service added three markets: Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego.

Other markets identified for expansion included Atlanta; Baltimore; Boston; Houston; Minneapolis; New York; Phoenix; Sacramento, Calif.; Seattle and Washington, D.C.

SMYRNA, Ga. — Tri-Land Properties has broken ground for the redevelopment of The Crossings at Four Corners here in Smyrna, Ga. The 8-acre site will be home to Kroger’s largest supermarket in the Atlanta area: a 96,000-sq.-ft. grocer replete with fuel station, a wine shop and drive-through pharmacy.

The project is expected to be completed by November, Tri-Land Properties announced. “The Crossings at Four Corners Kroger location is replacing an outdated, 42,000-sq.-ft., 40-year-old store located across the street,” Tri-Land stated in a release.

ATLANTA — A drug designed to treat an eye condition caused by diabetes may provide a long-term option for patients, according to Alimera Sciences.

Alimera said in two three-year, phase-3 pivotal clinical trials — collectively known as the FAME Study — of Iluvien, which is designed to treat diabetic macular edema, the drug improved visual acuity among patients.