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ATLANTA — Expect to see Heinz in a whole new way.

The company said it has entered a strategic partnership with Coca-Cola to implement the soft drink giant's PlantBottle packaging in the production of its Heinz Ketchup bottles. PlantBottle packaging is made of PET plastic bottles that are fully recyclable and use less nonrenewable resources than traditional PET plastic bottles, according to the companies. Heinz said the adoption of the PlantBottle technology will be the biggest change to its iconic ketchup bottles since they first introduced plastic in 1983.

ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention measured a steady rise in influenza — both in number of cases and severity — for the week ended Feb. 5.

There are 19 states that now are experiencing high levels of influenza-like illnesses as measured by outpatient visits — a measuring stick that provides a sense as to how severe the flu might be in a community but not how prevalent it is. The proportion of outpatient visits for ILI was 4.6%, which is above the national baseline of 2.5%.

ATLANTA — Newell Rubbermaid's Goody hair care brand has announced that its Simple Styles Spin Pin has been recognized by Good Housekeeping as a 2011 Very Innovative Products Award recipient, and in an effort to build on the success, the brand is slated to expand the Simple Styles line in the first quarter to include the new Bun Spiral and Spin Pin Mini.

ATLANTA — A Minute Maid product has achieved $1 billion in sales worldwide.

Coca-Cola, which owns the Minute Maid brand, reported that Minute Maid Pulpy marked the first Coca-Cola brand that was launched in an emerging market — the drink was launched nationally in China in 2005 — to reach the billion-dollar mark.

Last year, Minute Maid Pulpy was introduced in Algeria, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, followed by rollouts in Mexico and Kazakhstan.

ATLANTA — Nearly 26 million Americans have diabetes, according to new estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Wednesday.

In addition, an estimated 79 million U.S. adults have prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.

ATLANTA — Obesity rates continue to soar among the U.S. population, particularly in children. And the result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported, leads both to “psychosocial problems and to cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, high cholesterol and abnormal glucose tolerance or diabetes.”

ATLANTA — British drug maker ProStrakan Group will partner with two U.S. companies to administer its risk evaluation and mitigation strategy for a cancer pain drug.

ProStrakan said it would use RelayHealth Pharmacy Solutions’ and McKesson Specialty Care Solutions’ services to administer the REMS for Abstral (fentanyl citrate), a drug that patients can place under the tongue to treat breakthrough pain associated with cancer when they already have received and become tolerant of opioid painkillers.

NEW YORK — L'Oréal USA has tapped Moxie Interactive to serve as its digital agency of record, handling all digital media planning and buying for brands representing all L'Oréal USA divisions.

Prior to the consolidation, Atlanta-based Moxie Interactive oversaw digital media planning and buying duties for the Maybelline New York-Garnier Division, a relationship that began in 2007.

ATLANTA — Newell Rubbermaid, whose portfolio includes the hair accessories brand Goody, has announced that its president and CEO, Mark Ketchum, will retire later this year.

An executive recruiting firm has been retained to conduct an outside search for Ketchum's replacement and also to assist with the assessment of internal candidates, the company stated. To help ensure a smooth and transition, Ketchum plans to remain on the company¹s board through the spring of 2012.

ATLANTA — The philanthropic arm of Coca-Cola donated funds to 38 organizations that support water conservation, community recycling, active healthy living and education.

ATLANTA — Private equity firm Roark Capital Group last week closed the deal on its acquisition of Atkins Nutritionals, a weight-control and nutrition brand. Atkins' management team, led by CEO Monty Sharma — who invested alongside Roark Capital in the transaction — will remain with the business.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola is looking to spread holiday cheer by asking consumers to donate their My Coke Rewards points to help generate gifts for unprivileged children.

By logging onto MCR.com/holiday, registered My Coke Rewards members can donate their points to Toys for Tots by entering codes found on 13 participating Coca-Cola products. The points will be awarded to Toys for Tots. Coca-Cola also is donating $120,000 to Toys for Tots; the money will be divided between eight cities across America.