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The head of Domino's Pizza Group who suggested the United Kingdom might have reached peak pizza while broadening the franchise into poultry items has been removed after tensions with its directors.

Executive Transition

The former CEO is exiting after a brief tenure in leadership, and will be succeeded on an temporary basis by the company's operations head, Nicola Frampton, while the pizza giant looks for a new leader.

The outgoing executive, who worked for the company for more than two decades, had sought to pivot the UK's biggest pizza delivery company towards chicken offerings, stating earlier this month there was not “huge potential” left in the pizza sector in the UK. He observed chicken was the fastest-growing menu item in the globe.

Board Friction

Sources suggest that there was friction between the CEO and the board over his strategy and management style, although Domino's official statement said he was stepping down “by mutual agreement”.

New Brand Introduction

In September, the chain unveiled its poultry brand – which the former chief described as a “bold new chapter” for the organization – and is testing it in over 200 locations 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 intended, it views chicken products as an addition to its core pizza business.

Leadership Statement

Bull, the Domino's chairman, said: “We are confident that there are a range of possibilities to drive further growth and value creation in Domino's core business. We are prioritizing finding the ideal CEO to oversee the systematic rollout of that expansion plan.”

Market Challenges

Earlier this month, Domino's, which has 13 million customers in the British Isles, said sales fell by 1.5% in the Q3. In August, it warned that the food delivery sector had “become tougher” as it attributed weaker consumer confidence in the period before the budget and higher payroll outlays for below-target performance and a 15 percent decline in six-month income.

Competitors are also struggling. Pizza Hut disclosed the closure of 68 restaurants a last month, after the business behind its outlets fell into administration.

Wellness Initiatives

Responding to consumer trends towards better nutrition, Domino's has rolled out lower-calorie products, such as its thin-crust line of bakes below 400 kcal as well as plant-based and allergy-friendly pizzas. A big pepperoni bake has 2,311 kcals. A large cheese and tomato pizza has over 2,100, while a personal has 909 calories.

Interim Leadership

Nicola Frampton has been with the company since the recent past, and had a background at the gaming group a well-known operator. It is believed that she is not seeking to take on the CEO position long-term.

Frampton stated: “We have a several ongoing growth and efficiency programs that we will be focused on implementing at a rapid rate.”

She said these included additional efforts on the organization's procurement system and product development, and its loyalty scheme.

Domino's is also in need of a permanent chief financial officer until 16 March, when Andy Andrea joins from the beverage producer a well-known firm. Until then, Snow serves as interim finance chief.