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The boss of the UK's Domino's Pizza chain who proposed the UK might have hit pizza saturation while broadening the company into poultry items has been ousted after conflicts with its governing body.

Leadership Change

Rennie is leaving after just two years in charge, and will be replaced on an acting basis by the company's chief operating officer, Nicola Frampton, while Domino's looks for a permanent CEO.

Rennie, who worked for the company for a substantial period, had attempted to shift Britain's largest pizza takeaway chain towards fried chicken, stating recently there was not “significant expansion” left in the British pizza industry. He observed chicken was the fastest-growing protein in the international market.

Board Tensions

Reports indicate that there was tension between Rennie and the governance team over his approach and direction, although the company's official statement said he was leaving “by mutual agreement”.

New Brand Introduction

In September, the chain launched its poultry brand – which the former chief referred to as a “significant new phase” for the company – and is testing it in select stores in the North West region and Northern Ireland.

While the business is still going to roll it out across its almost 1,400 stores in 2026 as scheduled, it views fried chicken as an addition to its primary pizza operations.

Board Comment

Bull, the company chair, said: “Directors think that there are a number of opportunities to boost expansion and profitability in our primary operations. We are prioritizing identifying the suitable leader to lead the disciplined execution of that expansion plan.”

Market Difficulties

In the latest update, Domino's, which has a substantial customer base in the British Isles, said transactions fell by 1.5 percent in the latest quarter. In the summer, it cautioned that the quick-service industry had “intensified” as it attributed economic uncertainty in the run-up to the government announcement and higher payroll outlays for weaker-than-expected sales and a 15% drop in half-year profits.

Other pizza operators are also facing challenges. Pizza Hut revealed the closing of multiple locations a last month, after the firm behind its UK venues faced financial collapse.

Wellness Efforts

Trying to keep up with consumer trends towards better nutrition, Domino's has launched lower-calorie options, such as its Thin & Crispy range of bakes below 400 kcals as well as vegan and gluten-free pizzas. A big pepperoni bake has 2,311 calories. A big margherita has 2,171 kcal, while a small has under 1,000 calories.

Acting Management

The interim chief has been with the company since the recent past, and previously worked for the betting firm William Hill. It is thought that she prefers not to assume the top job permanently.

Frampton stated: “The company has a several ongoing expansion and performance initiatives that we will be concentrating on implementing at pace.”

She said these comprised ongoing development on the organization's logistics network and product development, and its rewards program.

The pizza chain is also without a permanent chief financial officer until March 16, when a new appointee comes aboard from the Irish cider and beer maker C&C Group. For now, Richard Snow is temporary CFO.