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The head of the UK's Domino's Pizza chain who suggested the United Kingdom might have reached peak pizza while diversifying the chain into poultry items has been removed after disagreements with its directors.

Executive Shake-Up

The former CEO is leaving after a brief tenure in leadership, and will be succeeded on an temporary basis by the organization's chief operating officer, Frampton, while the pizza giant seeks a long-term chief.

The outgoing executive, who served at Domino's for more than two decades, had sought to redirect the UK's leading pizza takeaway chain towards fried chicken, remarking earlier this month there was not “massive growth” left in the UK's pizza market. He noted poultry was the fastest-growing protein in the globe.

Board Tensions

It is understood that there was tension between Rennie and the governance team over his strategy and direction, although Domino's announcement said he was departing “through mutual consent”.

Recent Product Introduction

In September, the chain unveiled its chicken-focused product line – which Rennie described as a “significant new phase” for the company – and is piloting it in 210 outlets in the north-west of England and Northern Ireland.

While the company is still going to roll it out across its almost 1,400 stores next year as scheduled, it regards chicken products as a supplement for its primary pizza operations.

Leadership Statement

The Domino's chair, the Domino's chair, stated: “The board believes that there are a number of opportunities to drive further growth and value creation in our primary operations. We are concentrating on finding the right chief executive to oversee the careful implementation of that development approach.”

Industry Challenges

In the latest update, the pizza delivery giant, which has 13 million customers in the UK and Ireland, said transactions declined by one and a half percent in the Q3. In August, it warned that the quick-service industry had “grown more challenging” as it attributed weaker consumer confidence in the run-up to the budget and rising wage costs for disappointing revenue and a 15% drop in half-year profits.

Competitors are also struggling. Another major chain disclosed the closing of 68 restaurants a recently, after the firm behind its outlets faced financial collapse.

Health Efforts

Trying to keep up with consumer trends towards better nutrition, Domino's has rolled out light products, such as its thin-crust range of pizzas below 400 kcal as well as plant-based and gluten-free options. A large pepperoni pizza has 2,311 kcals. A large cheese and tomato pizza has over 2,100, while a individual has 909 calories.

Interim Leadership

Nicola Frampton has been with the company since 2021, and previously worked for the gaming group William Hill. It is believed that she prefers not to assume the top job long-term.

She said: “We have a several ongoing development and performance initiatives that we will be dedicated to executing at a rapid rate.”

She added these involved further work on the organization's procurement system and menu innovation, and its rewards program.

The pizza chain is also lacking a permanent chief financial officer until 16 March, when Andrea starts from the Irish cider and beer maker C&C Group. For now, Snow is temporary CFO.