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The head of Domino's Pizza Group who proposed the UK might have hit maximum pizza demand while expanding the chain into poultry items has been replaced after tensions with its directors.

Executive Shake-Up

Andrew Rennie is departing after just two years in the top role, and will be replaced on an acting basis by the organization's chief operating officer, Nicola Frampton, while Domino's searches for a permanent CEO.

Rennie, who was with the company for over 20 years, had attempted to redirect Britain's biggest pizza delivery company towards fried chicken, remarking in a recent interview there was not “massive growth” left in the British pizza industry. He said poultry was the fastest-growing food category in the globe.

Governance Friction

It is understood that there was friction between the CEO and the directors over his strategy and business vision, although the company's official statement said he was stepping down “by mutual agreement”.

Recent Brand Introduction

In September, the chain launched its Chick 'N' Dip offering – which the former chief called a “bold new chapter” for the group – and is trialling it in select stores in the North West region and the province.

While the firm is still planning to expand it across its almost 1,400 stores in 2026 as intended, it considers fried chicken as a supplement for its main pizza offerings.

Board Comment

Ian Bull, the Domino's chairman, said: “Directors think that there are a series of prospects to drive further growth and value creation in the main pizza segment. We are prioritizing identifying the right chief executive to lead the disciplined execution of that development approach.”

Market Challenges

In the latest update, the pizza delivery giant, which has 13 million customers in the British Isles, said sales declined by 1.5% in the Q3. In the summer, it warned that the food delivery sector had “grown more challenging” as it blamed weaker consumer confidence in the lead-up to the budget and increasing labor expenses for weaker-than-expected sales and a 15 percent decline in six-month income.

Competitors are also struggling. Another major chain revealed the shutting of 68 restaurants a recently, after the company behind its UK venues fell into administration.

Wellness Efforts

Responding to consumer trends towards healthier eating, Domino's has rolled out light products, such as its light base line of pizzas below 400 kcals as well as vegan and wheat-free pizzas. A big pepperoni bake has 2,311 kcals. A big margherita has 2,171 kcal, while a individual has 909 kcal.

Acting Leadership

The interim chief has been with the company since 2021, and had a background at the gambling company William Hill. It is understood that she does not want to assume the CEO position on a full-time basis.

Frampton stated: “The company has a number of active expansion and efficiency programs that we will be concentrating on executing at a rapid rate.”

She added these comprised additional efforts on the organization's logistics network and menu innovation, and its customer retention initiative.

The pizza chain is also in need of a full-time chief financial officer until the spring, when Andrea comes aboard from the beverage producer C&C Group. For now, Snow acts as acting financial officer.