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A head of the UK's Domino's Pizza chain who proposed the UK might have reached maximum pizza demand while expanding the company into chicken products has been removed after conflicts with its board.

Leadership Transition

Rennie is leaving after only 24 months in leadership, and will be replaced on an acting basis by the company's chief operating officer, Frampton, while Domino's searches for a long-term chief.

The outgoing executive, who served at Domino's for more than two decades, had sought to redirect Britain's leading pizza food delivery firm towards fried chicken, remarking recently there was not “significant expansion” left in the British pizza industry. He noted poultry was the fastest-growing menu item in the world.

Governance Tensions

Reports indicate that there was friction between Rennie and the governance team over his approach and business vision, although Domino's announcement said he was stepping down “through mutual consent”.

New Product Introduction

In the autumn, Domino's unveiled its chicken-focused brand – which the former chief referred to as a “bold new chapter” for the group – and is piloting it in select stores in the North West region and the province.

While the company is still intending to launch it across its extensive network in 2026 as intended, it considers chicken products as an addition to its primary pizza operations.

Board Comment

Ian Bull, the company chair, stated: “We are confident that there are a series of prospects to enhance value and performance improvement in Domino's core business. We are prioritizing finding the suitable leader to oversee the systematic rollout of that development approach.”

Industry Difficulties

Earlier this month, the pizza delivery giant, which has millions of users in the UK and Ireland, said orders declined by 1.5% in the Q3. In August, it cautioned that the quick-service industry had “intensified” as it attributed economic uncertainty in the lead-up to the budget and higher payroll outlays for below-target performance and a significant fall in interim earnings.

Rival chains are also facing challenges. Pizza Hut disclosed the closing of 68 restaurants a last month, after the company behind its UK venues fell into administration.

Health Initiatives

Adapting to market shifts towards healthier eating, Domino's has introduced reduced-calorie options, such as its thin-crust range of pizzas below 400 kcals as well as vegan and gluten-free pizzas. A large pepperoni pizza has over 2,300 kcal. A large cheese and tomato pizza has 2,171 kcal, while a individual has 909 calories.

Acting Management

Nicola Frampton has been with Domino's since 2021, and was formerly with the gambling company a well-known operator. It is thought that she is not seeking to take on the CEO position permanently.

She commented: “We have a number of current development and operational projects that we will be focused on executing at speed.”

Frampton noted these involved ongoing development on the organization's supply chain and menu innovation, and its customer retention initiative.

Domino's is also in need of a long-term CFO until the spring, when Andrea starts from the drinks company C&C Group. For now, Richard Snow acts as temporary CFO.