🔗 Share this article

A head of Domino's Pizza Group who indicated the UK might have reached peak pizza while broadening the franchise into poultry items has been removed after conflicts with its directors.

Leadership Transition

Andrew Rennie is exiting after a brief tenure in the top role, and will be replaced on an acting basis by the company's operations head, Frampton, while the pizza giant looks for a new leader.

Rennie, who worked for the company for a substantial period, had aimed to redirect the UK's biggest pizza food delivery firm towards poultry-based products, remarking recently there was not “massive growth” left in the UK's pizza market. He said chicken was the most rapidly expanding protein in the world.

Governance Disagreements

Reports indicate that there was tension between Rennie and the governance team over his focus and business vision, although the company's release said he was leaving “by mutual agreement”.

Recent Product Launch

In the autumn, Domino's launched its chicken-focused brand – which the former chief referred to as a “bold new chapter” for the organization – and is testing it in 210 outlets in the north-west of England and Northern Ireland.

While the firm is still planning to expand it across its almost 1,400 stores in the coming year as scheduled, it views chicken products as a supplement for its main pizza offerings.

Leadership Comment

The Domino's chair, the Domino's chair, stated: “We are confident that there are a series of prospects to drive further growth and profitability in Domino's core business. We are concentrating on finding the ideal CEO to direct the careful implementation of that expansion plan.”

Market Difficulties

Recently, Domino's, which has 13 million customers in the UK and Ireland, said sales declined by 1.5 percent in the third quarter. In the summer, it warned that the takeaway market had “grown more challenging” as it attributed economic uncertainty in the run-up to the budget and higher payroll outlays for below-target performance and a 15 percent decline in six-month income.

Rival chains are also experiencing difficulties. Another major chain announced the closure of multiple locations a recently, after the business behind its outlets fell into administration.

Health Initiatives

Trying to keep up with customer preferences towards better nutrition, the company has rolled out reduced-calorie items, such as its thin-crust range of bakes below 400 calories as well as vegan and allergy-friendly pizzas. A big pepperoni bake has 2,311 calories. A family cheese pizza has 2,171, while a small has under 1,000 calories.

Acting Management

The interim chief has been with the company since 2021, and was formerly with the gambling company William Hill. It is believed that she prefers not to assume the chief executive role on a full-time basis.

Frampton stated: “We have a several active growth and performance initiatives that we will be dedicated to carrying out at a rapid rate.”

She said these comprised additional efforts on the organization's procurement system and new item creation, and its loyalty scheme.

The pizza chain is also lacking a long-term chief financial officer until March 16, when a new appointee comes aboard from the drinks company a well-known firm. For now, Richard Snow acts as acting financial officer.