🔗 Share this article

A head of the UK's Domino's Pizza chain who suggested the United Kingdom might have reached pizza saturation while expanding the franchise into poultry items has been ousted after tensions with its directors.

Leadership Shake-Up

Andrew Rennie is leaving after only 24 months in the top role, and will be succeeded on an temporary basis by the organization's operations head, Frampton, while Domino's searches for a new leader.

Rennie, who served at Domino's for over 20 years, had sought to shift Britain's biggest pizza food delivery firm towards chicken offerings, stating in a recent interview there was not “massive growth” left in the UK's pizza market. He noted poultry was the fastest-growing menu item in the globe.

Governance Friction

Reports indicate that there was tension between Rennie and the directors over his strategy and management style, although the company's official statement said he was leaving “by mutual agreement”.

Recent Brand Introduction

In the autumn, the chain unveiled its chicken-focused product line – which the former chief called a “bold new chapter” for the organization – and is testing it in 210 outlets in the North West region and Northern Ireland.

While the business is still intending to launch it across its almost 1,400 stores next year as scheduled, it considers fried chicken as a supplement for its primary pizza operations.

Leadership Comment

Ian Bull, the Domino's chair, stated: “The board believes that there are a number of opportunities to boost expansion and performance improvement in the main pizza segment. We are concentrating on selecting the right chief executive to direct the systematic rollout of that expansion plan.”

Industry Difficulties

Earlier this month, Domino's, which has a substantial customer base in the British Isles, said orders declined by one and a half percent in the Q3. In August, it cautioned that the takeaway market had “grown more challenging” as it attributed economic uncertainty in the lead-up to the budget and increasing labor expenses for weaker-than-expected sales and a 15% drop in interim earnings.

Other pizza operators are also struggling. Another major chain revealed the closure of dozens of outlets a recently, after the business behind its outlets entered insolvency.

Health Efforts

Adapting to consumer trends towards better nutrition, the company has rolled out light options, such as its Thin & Crispy selection of pizzas below 400 kcals as well as plant-based 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 small has under 1,000 calories.

Interim Management

Nicola Frampton has been with Domino's since 2021, and had a background at the gambling company a well-known operator. It is thought that she does not want to take on the CEO position long-term.

Frampton stated: “The company has a multiple ongoing expansion and performance initiatives that we will be focused on carrying out at speed.”

She said these involved ongoing development on the organization's procurement system and product development, and its rewards program.

Domino's is also lacking a permanent CFO until 16 March, when a new appointee joins from the Irish cider and beer maker C&C Group. In the meantime, Richard Snow is temporary CFO.