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A chief executive of Domino's Pizza Group who indicated the UK might have hit pizza saturation while broadening the franchise into fried chicken has been ousted after tensions with its governing body.

Executive Transition

The former CEO is departing after a brief tenure in charge, and will be succeeded on an temporary basis by the organization's operations head, Nicola Frampton, while the pizza giant looks for a long-term chief.

Rennie, who was with the company for more than two decades, had sought to pivot Britain's largest pizza food delivery firm towards poultry-based products, commenting in a recent interview there was not “massive growth” left in the pizza sector in the UK. He observed chicken was the most rapidly expanding food category in the international market.

Board Friction

Reports indicate that there was friction between the CEO and the board over his approach and business vision, although Domino's release said he was stepping down “by mutual agreement”.

Recent Product Introduction

In September, the chain introduced its Chick 'N' Dip product line – which Rennie called a “significant new phase” for the group – and is trialling it in 210 outlets in the North West region and the province.

While the firm is still going to roll it out across its extensive network in 2026 as scheduled, it views chicken products as an addition to its main pizza offerings.

Board Statement

Bull, the Domino's chair, said: “The board believes that there are a series of prospects to enhance value and value creation in Domino's core business. We are concentrating on finding the right chief executive to direct the careful implementation of that development approach.”

Market Challenges

In the latest update, Domino's, which has a substantial customer base in the UK and Ireland, said orders dipped by 1.5% in the Q3. In August, it warned that the quick-service industry had “intensified” as it blamed reduced spending in the lead-up to the budget and rising wage costs for below-target performance and a 15 percent decline in interim earnings.

Rival chains are also experiencing difficulties. Pizza Hut announced the closure of multiple locations a last month, after the business behind its UK venues fell into administration.

Health Efforts

Responding to consumer trends towards balanced diets, the company has launched reduced-calorie options, such as its Thin & Crispy selection of pizzas below 400 kcal as well as plant-based and wheat-free options. A family-sized pepperoni has 2,311 kcals. A large cheese and tomato pizza has over 2,100, while a small has 909 calories.

Interim Management

Nicola Frampton has been with the company since 2021, and had a background at the gaming group William Hill. It is thought that she is not seeking to assume the CEO position on a full-time basis.

She said: “We have a multiple ongoing development and operational projects that we will be dedicated to implementing at speed.”

She said these involved further work on the company's logistics network and product development, and its loyalty scheme.

Domino's is also lacking a long-term finance director until 16 March, when a new appointee joins from the beverage producer C&C Group. Until then, Snow serves as interim finance chief.