March 10 (Reuters) - Domino's Pizza in Britain is betting on its new fried chicken brand to drive growth beyond pizza, as the chain captured more than half the takeaway market in the UK for pies despite consumers cutting back on spending.
The company's shares rose more than 5% in early trading after it said strong Christmas trading momentum carried over into this year.
The company, which operates under the umbrella of U.S.-based Domino's Pizza in Britain and Ireland, rolled out its Chick ’N’ Dip range
of products nationwide last month, making it available across all stores, online channels, apps and major delivery aggregators following a successful trial.
It has also introduced healthier pizza options, including lower-calorie pies, plant-based options and lighter bases.
Domino's UK said its share of the pizza takeaway market rose 7.5 percentage points to 52.6%, citing data from Worldpanel by Numerator.
NOT AT 'PEAK PIZZA' YET
Domino's UK said its annual underlying pretax profit fell 15% to 91.2 million pounds ($122.65 million) in 2025, the latest restaurant operator in the country to flag pressure from weaker consumer spending and higher employment costs.
The company faces fierce competition with fast-food giants like Greggs, known for their much-loved high-calorie sausage rolls and steak bakes as well as other chain pizzerias.
"We might not be at “peak pizza” but the company will certainly have to find a way to turn innovation into profit growth," Robinhood UK analyst Dan Lane said.
Lane added that Britain's Domino's will have to tread carefully with its new chicken brand, noting that Greggs has shown how difficult it is to preserve brand identity amid a flurry of new launches.
The pizza chain, which saw multiple senior executives, including its CEO and finance chief, exit last year, said its underlying core profit for 2026 is on track to meet market expectations.
($1 = 0.7436 pounds)
(Reporting by Yamini Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Janane Venkatraman and Thomas Derpinghaus)
