🔗 Share this article

A head of Domino's Pizza Group who suggested the United Kingdom might have reached peak pizza while expanding the chain into fried chicken has been removed after conflicts with its directors.

Leadership Shake-Up

Andrew Rennie is exiting after a brief tenure in the top role, and will be succeeded on an temporary basis by the company's operations head, Nicola Frampton, while Domino's searches for a permanent CEO.

The outgoing executive, who was with the company for more than two decades, had aimed to pivot Britain's biggest pizza takeaway chain towards fried chicken, remarking in a recent interview there was not “massive growth” left in the British pizza industry. He noted poultry was the most rapidly expanding protein in the world.

Governance Disagreements

Sources suggest that there was tension between Rennie and the directors over his approach and business vision, although the company's release said he was stepping down “as a joint decision”.

Recent Brand Introduction

In September, Domino's introduced its poultry product line – which the former chief described as a “significant new phase” for the organization – and is piloting it in select stores in the north-west of England and Northern Ireland.

While the firm is still going to roll it out across its nearly 1,400 branches in 2026 as intended, it considers chicken products as an addition to its main pizza offerings.

Leadership Comment

Ian Bull, the Domino's chair, said: “We are confident that there are a series of prospects to enhance value and performance improvement in our primary operations. We are concentrating on identifying the suitable leader to oversee the disciplined execution of that development approach.”

Market Difficulties

Earlier this month, the pizza delivery giant, which has millions of users in the UK and Ireland, said orders fell by 1.5% in the latest quarter. In the summer, it warned that the quick-service industry had “intensified” as it blamed reduced spending in the lead-up to the budget and increasing labor expenses for below-target performance and a 15 percent decline in half-year profits.

Competitors are also struggling. Another major chain announced the shutting of 68 restaurants a recently, after the firm behind its outlets entered insolvency.

Wellness Efforts

Adapting to customer preferences towards better nutrition, Domino's has introduced light products, such as its light base range of bakes below 400 kcal as well as meat-free and wheat-free options. A large pepperoni pizza has 2,311 kcals. A big margherita has over 2,100, while a individual has 909 kcal.

Interim Management

Nicola Frampton has been with Domino's since the recent past, and previously worked for the betting firm William Hill. It is believed that she prefers not to take on the chief executive role permanently.

Frampton stated: “We have a multiple ongoing development and performance initiatives that we will be focused on executing at speed.”

Frampton noted these included additional efforts on the company's supply chain and product development, and its rewards program.

Domino's is also in need of a long-term chief financial officer until 16 March, when Andy Andrea joins from the drinks company a well-known firm. In the meantime, Richard Snow serves as interim finance chief.