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The boss of Domino's Pizza Group who indicated the UK might have hit maximum pizza demand while expanding the franchise into poultry items has been ousted after conflicts with its governing body.

Executive Shake-Up

The former CEO is leaving after a brief tenure in charge, and will be replaced on an acting basis by the organization's chief operating officer, Frampton, while the pizza giant looks for a new leader.

Rennie, who worked for the company for a substantial period, had aimed to pivot the UK's leading pizza takeaway chain towards poultry-based products, remarking recently there was not “massive growth” left in the pizza sector in the UK. He said poultry was the quickest rising menu item in the international market.

Board Tensions

Reports indicate that there was tension between the CEO and the directors over his strategy and direction, although Domino's release said he was stepping down “by mutual agreement”.

Recent Brand Launch

In the autumn, the chain introduced its poultry brand – which Rennie described as a “significant new phase” for the company – and is testing it in 210 outlets in the North West region and Northern Ireland.

While the firm is still planning to expand it across its extensive network in the coming year as scheduled, it regards chicken products as a supplement for its primary pizza operations.

Leadership Statement

The Domino's chair, the company chairman, stated: “The board believes that there are a range of possibilities to drive further growth and profitability in Domino's core business. We are concentrating on selecting the ideal CEO to oversee the systematic rollout of that expansion plan.”

Industry Difficulties

Recently, the pizza delivery giant, which has a substantial customer base in the UK and Ireland, said orders declined by 1.5% in the latest quarter. In the summer, it alerted that the food delivery sector had “become tougher” as it blamed economic uncertainty in the period before the budget and increasing labor expenses for disappointing revenue and a significant fall in six-month income.

Rival chains are also struggling. Pizza Hut revealed the shutting of multiple locations a last month, after the company behind its British operations fell into administration.

Wellness Efforts

Trying to keep up with customer preferences towards better nutrition, the company has rolled out lower-calorie products, such as its thin-crust range of pizzas below 400 kcal as well as meat-free and wheat-free options. A family-sized pepperoni has 2,311 kcals. A family cheese pizza has over 2,100, while a personal has 909 calories.

Interim Management

Nicola Frampton has been with the company since 2021, and had a background at the betting firm a well-known operator. It is believed that she does not want to assume the CEO position permanently.

Frampton stated: “Our team has a multiple active expansion and efficiency programs that we will be dedicated to executing at a rapid rate.”

She added these included further work on the company's supply chain and product development, and its loyalty scheme.

Domino's is also lacking a full-time finance director until March 16, when a new appointee starts from the beverage producer a well-known firm. Until then, Richard Snow serves as temporary CFO.