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The head of Domino's Pizza Group who proposed the UK might have hit maximum pizza demand while diversifying the chain into fried chicken has been removed after conflicts with its board.

Executive Transition

Andrew Rennie is leaving after only 24 months in charge, and will be succeeded on an acting basis by the organization's chief operating officer, Frampton, while the pizza giant looks for a new leader.

The outgoing executive, who worked for the company for over 20 years, had aimed to pivot Britain's largest pizza delivery company towards poultry-based products, remarking earlier this month there was not “massive growth” left in the pizza sector in the UK. He said chicken was the most rapidly expanding food category in the globe.

Board Friction

Sources suggest that there was tension between Rennie and the directors over his approach and business vision, although the company's announcement said he was departing “through mutual consent”.

New Brand Launch

In the autumn, Domino's introduced its Chick 'N' Dip brand – which Rennie referred to as a “significant new phase” for the group – and is testing it in select stores in the north-west of England and the province.

While the company is still going to roll it out across its almost 1,400 stores in 2026 as scheduled, it considers chicken products as complementary to its primary pizza operations.

Leadership Statement

Ian Bull, the company chairman, stated: “The board believes that there are a series of prospects to boost expansion and value creation in Domino's core business. We are focused on selecting the right chief executive to oversee the systematic rollout of that growth strategy.”

Industry Challenges

Recently, the pizza delivery giant, which has 13 million customers in the UK and Ireland, said transactions declined by 1.5 percent in the Q3. In the summer, it cautioned that the food delivery sector had “become tougher” as it attributed economic uncertainty in the lead-up to the budget and higher payroll outlays for disappointing revenue and a significant fall in six-month income.

Other pizza operators are also experiencing difficulties. Another major chain disclosed the closure of multiple locations a month ago, after the firm behind its UK venues fell into administration.

Wellness Initiatives

Adapting to market shifts towards healthier eating, the company has launched reduced-calorie products, such as its thin-crust range of pizzas below 400 kcal as well as meat-free and wheat-free pizzas. A big pepperoni bake has over 2,300 kcal. A large cheese and tomato pizza has over 2,100, while a individual has 909 calories.

Interim Leadership

Nicola Frampton has been with Domino's since 2021, and previously worked for the gaming group a well-known operator. It is understood that she prefers not to assume the chief executive role on a full-time basis.

Frampton stated: “Our team has a number of active growth and operational projects that we will be dedicated to carrying out at pace.”

She said these comprised further work on the company's supply chain and new item creation, and its loyalty scheme.

Domino's is also without a full-time finance director until 16 March, when a new appointee joins from the beverage producer a well-known firm. In the meantime, Richard Snow serves as acting financial officer.