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A chief executive of Domino's Pizza Group who suggested the UK might have reached peak pizza while diversifying the franchise into chicken products has been removed after tensions with its governing body.

Leadership Change

Andrew Rennie is departing after just two years in charge, and will be replaced on an temporary basis by the company's chief operating officer, Nicola Frampton, while Domino's seeks a new leader.

The outgoing executive, who worked for Domino's for over 20 years, had sought to shift Britain's leading pizza delivery company towards fried chicken, stating recently there was not “huge potential” left in the pizza sector in the UK. He said poultry was the quickest rising menu item in the globe.

Governance Friction

It is understood that there was tension between the CEO and the board over his approach and direction, although the company's official statement said he was departing “as a joint decision”.

Recent Product Introduction

In the autumn, Domino's introduced its Chick 'N' Dip offering – which the former chief called a “bold new chapter” for the company – and is testing it in 210 outlets in the North West region and the province.

While the company is still intending to launch it across its almost 1,400 stores in the coming year as planned, it considers fried chicken as a supplement for its core pizza business.

Board Statement

Bull, the Domino's chairman, said: “We are confident that there are a number of opportunities to boost expansion and value creation in Domino's core business. We are prioritizing finding the right chief executive to lead the systematic rollout of that expansion plan.”

Market Difficulties

In the latest update, Domino's, which has millions of users in the British Isles, said sales declined by 1.5 percent in the third quarter. In the summer, it warned that the takeaway market had “intensified” as it blamed economic uncertainty in the period before the government announcement and increasing labor expenses for below-target performance and a 15% drop in six-month income.

Other pizza operators are also experiencing difficulties. Pizza Hut announced the closing of multiple locations a month ago, after the firm behind its UK venues faced financial collapse.

Wellness Initiatives

Adapting to customer preferences towards healthier eating, Domino's has introduced light products, such as its thin-crust selection of bakes below 400 kcal as well as vegan and allergy-friendly pizzas. A large pepperoni pizza has over 2,300 kcal. A family cheese pizza has 2,171 kcal, while a small has 909 calories.

Acting Leadership

The interim chief has been with Domino's since the recent past, and had a background at the betting firm William Hill. It is thought that she does not want to take on the top job long-term.

She said: “Our team has a multiple ongoing growth and operational projects that we will be concentrating on carrying out at a rapid rate.”

She added these involved further work on the organization's procurement system and menu innovation, and its customer retention initiative.

The pizza chain is also lacking a full-time chief financial officer until the spring, when Andrea starts from the beverage producer a well-known firm. In the meantime, Richard Snow is acting financial officer.