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The disruptive impact of the discount retailers has dominated global retail headlines during June, as our take of this month's key developments among grocery retailers shows.

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Australia is set to see the introduction of a code overseeing relations between suppliers and retailers. Will the country be a fairer place for manufacturers to do business? Ben Cooper reports.

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Universal Robina Corp. appears to have two main areas of focus for Griffin's Foods - launching the New Zealand snacks maker's products in south-east Asia and using the business's presence in Australia to enter that country's own-label business. Dean Best looks at the Philippines-based group's plans.

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Parmalat, majority-owned by French dairy giant Lactalis, has made a significant move to bolster its business in Australia 15 years after it first entered the market. Parmalat has snapped up Australian dairy and fruit juice firm Harvey Fresh, a deal industry watchers believe could help the Italian firm's local business and help it expand its presence in Asia. Dean Best reports.

Ambitious dairy-free chocolate maker Moo Free aims to "dominate" the world market for dairy-free milk chocolate by expanding in new markets and increasing its exposure to the supermarket channel.

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Discount clothing chain Primark again grabbed the headlines for Associated British Foods as it booked higher half-year profits and sales - and saw its shares hit a record high. But what about ABF's grocery business? Dean Best spoke with CEO George Weston about the performance of and prospects for the UK group's food operations.

Farmers in three Australian states are set to grow "millions of extra vegetables" to meet increased demand under a new supply agreement between the country's second largest grocer, Coles, and US-based agri-food business Simplot.

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A new brand of Australian milk that guarantees a fixed-price contribution from every bottle sold is paid into the Victorian Farmers Federation's (VFF) new Farmers' Fund goes on sale at Coles supermarkets in the state this week.

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UK snack group Tyrrells wants to grow its business in Australia and Asia and is investing in ramping up production at its Yarra Valley Snack Foods unit. 

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Simplot-owned tuna brand John West is launching a new range of ready to eat tuna meals, Tuna Brown Rice & Quinoa, in Australia.

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The Australian federal government has created a food and grocery code of conduct that, it said, will help ensure "fair and transparent" dealings between the country's largest supermarkets and their suppliers.

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Legal action has been launched against Metcash, Australia's third-largest grocery retailer, over supplier claims of "unconscionable conduct".

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Days before Christmas came one of the more notable deals of recent months with Thai seafood giant Thai Union Frozen swooping for US group Bumble Bee Foods. In the US, ConAgra Foods wrote down the value of its own-label arm and Kraft Foods Group announced a new CEO. Elsewhere, Australian retailer Coles admitted payments it demanded from suppliers broke competition law and we interviewed the CEO of Groupe Doux, the French poultry group getting itself back on a firmer footing a year after emerging from administration.

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Coles has agreed to accept payments demanded from suppliers in 2011 constituted "unconscionable conduct" and said it will take part in an independent review to assess supplier refunds.

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Simplot is expanding the John West tuna brand in Australia with the launch of a tuna pasta salad range.

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Last week, Chiquita Brands International received an increased takeover bid from Brazilian suitors Cutrale Group and Safra Group - but it was still not enough to win over the US produce giant.

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Australia's second largest supermarket chain, Coles, is being taken to court by the country's competition watchdog, which alleges Coles' treatment of suppliers represents "unconscionable conduct in contravention of the Australian Consumer Law".

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Australian food group SPC Ardmona has developed a line of jams that include the natural sweetener stevia.

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This week, Treehouse Foods announced a deal to buy US private-label peer Flagstone Foods. In other M&A news in the US, Tyson Foods and Hillshire Brands finalised an agreement over a takeover of the Jimmy Dean meats manufacturer. Chinese firm Huaxia Dairy and ethnic foods supplier Shazans both announced expansion following investments in the companies. Elsewhere, Burton's Biscuit Co. was in hot water with union officials after announcing 64 jobs were to go at its Edinburgh site.

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Coles has dismissed claims it abused its relationship with suppliers through a programme requiring the payment of rebates - although the Australian retailer has made a number of "admissions" over its treatment of manufacturers.

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Symington's has expanded the Five Brothers range of pasta sauces in Australia with the launch of three Pasta Bake sauces.

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UK based ready-to-cook fish firm The Saucy Fish Co has announced its expansion into Australia.

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Simplot has launched a new range of soups under the Lean Cuisine banner in Australia.

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Wesfarmers booked a near-4% rise in third-quarter sales at its Coles supermarket business but shares slipped as revenue growth slowed in the period.

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Coles has admitted its part in a milk campaign criticised by the Australian competition watchdog customers but insisted the "key message" behind the push was "correct".

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Coles has "admitted" it is likely to have misled customers after dropping its milk prices and claiming farmers would receive a higher cut, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has said.

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Middle Eastern retailer Majid Al Futtaim has detailed an EGP16.5bn (US$2.36bn) five-year investment plan for Egypt, which will include the opening of 32 Carrefour outlets as well as three new shopping malls.

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Woolworths Ltd has hired Tony Phillips from arch-rival Coles to take the newly-created role of chief marketing officer.

The true impact of the Fonterra milk scare and the subsequent recall looks like it is surfacing, after Danone's subsidiary Nutricia announced a supply shortage in Australia and New Zealand.