The chief executive of Domino's Pizza Group who proposed the United Kingdom might have hit maximum pizza demand while expanding the franchise into fried chicken has been ousted after conflicts with its directors.
Andrew Rennie is exiting after just two years in the top role, and will be succeeded on an interim basis by the company's operations head, Nicola Frampton, while Domino's seeks a permanent CEO.
Rennie, who was with Domino's for a substantial period, had sought to redirect the UK's leading pizza food delivery firm towards fried chicken, stating earlier this month there was not âmassive growthâ left in the UK's pizza market. He said poultry was the fastest-growing protein in the international market.
Reports indicate that there was friction between the CEO and the directors over his strategy and business vision, although Domino's release said he was leaving âthrough mutual consentâ.
In the autumn, Domino's unveiled its Chick 'N' Dip brand â which the former chief described as a âmajor strategic shiftâ for the company â and is piloting it in 210 outlets in the north-west of England and Northern Ireland.
While the business is still going to roll it out across its nearly 1,400 branches in 2026 as planned, it views fried chicken as complementary to its main pizza offerings.
The Domino's chair, the Domino's chair, stated: âThe board believes that there are a series of prospects to boost expansion and profitability in our primary operations. We are concentrating on finding the suitable leader to direct the careful implementation of that growth strategy.â
In the latest update, Domino's, which has a substantial customer base in the British Isles, said sales dipped by 1.5% in the third quarter. In August, it alerted that the food delivery sector had âintensifiedâ as it attributed economic uncertainty in the lead-up to the budget and higher payroll outlays for weaker-than-expected sales and a significant fall in half-year profits.
Competitors are also experiencing difficulties. Pizza Hut disclosed the shutting of 68 restaurants a last month, after the firm behind its British operations fell into administration.
Adapting to market shifts towards balanced diets, the company has introduced light products, such as its thin-crust range of pizzas below 400 kcal as well as vegan and wheat-free options. A large pepperoni pizza has 2,311 calories. A big margherita has 2,171, while a individual has under 1,000 calories.
The interim chief has been with the company since the recent past, and was formerly with the betting firm a well-known operator. It is believed that she prefers not to take on the CEO position permanently.
Frampton stated: âThe company has a several active development and operational projects that we will be dedicated to implementing at a rapid rate.â
Frampton noted these included further work on the organization's logistics network and new item creation, and its loyalty scheme.
Domino's is also in need of a full-time chief financial officer until March 16, when a new appointee comes aboard from the Irish cider and beer maker a well-known firm. Until then, Snow is acting financial officer.
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