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

Executive Change

The former CEO is leaving after just two years in leadership, and will be succeeded on an acting basis by the company's chief operating officer, Nicola Frampton, while Domino's searches for a permanent CEO.

The outgoing executive, who served at Domino's for more than two decades, had attempted to pivot Britain's largest pizza takeaway chain towards poultry-based products, commenting in a recent interview there was not “huge potential” left in the UK's pizza market. He observed poultry was the fastest-growing food category in the world.

Board Tensions

It is understood that there was friction between the CEO and the board over his strategy and direction, although the company's announcement said he was stepping down “through mutual consent”.

Recent Brand Launch

In September, the chain unveiled its poultry brand – which the former chief described as a “bold new chapter” for the group – and is piloting it in select stores in the North West region and the province.

While the business is still intending to launch it across its nearly 1,400 branches next year as scheduled, it considers fried chicken as complementary to its main pizza offerings.

Leadership Statement

Ian Bull, the company chair, stated: “We are confident that there are a range of possibilities to drive further growth and profitability in the main pizza segment. We are concentrating on identifying the suitable leader to direct the careful implementation of that expansion plan.”

Industry Challenges

Recently, Domino's, which has millions of users in the UK and Ireland, said transactions fell by 1.5% in the latest quarter. In August, it alerted that the quick-service industry had “intensified” as it attributed reduced spending in the period before the budget and increasing labor expenses for below-target performance and a 15 percent decline in six-month income.

Competitors are also struggling. Another major chain announced the closure of multiple locations a last month, after the business behind its British operations entered insolvency.

Wellness Efforts

Trying to keep up with market shifts towards balanced diets, the company has launched lower-calorie options, such as its Thin & Crispy selection of bakes below 400 kcal 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 individual has under 1,000 calories.

Interim Leadership

Frampton has been with Domino's since 2021, and was formerly with the betting firm William Hill. It is thought that she does not want to assume the top job long-term.

Frampton stated: “We have a number of current growth and efficiency programs that we will be focused on carrying out at speed.”

She said these included ongoing development on the organization's procurement system and menu innovation, and its customer retention initiative.

Domino's is also lacking a long-term finance director until the spring, when a new appointee comes aboard from the beverage producer a well-known firm. Until then, Richard Snow serves as acting financial officer.