Domino’s takes on KFC with new chicken concept

Domino’s is launching a new chicken concept as the pizza specialist seeks to tap into rapidly growing demand for chicken across the UK.

The pizza delivery giant said it will first launch the Chick ‘N’ Dip sub-brand across the north west of England and Northern Ireland, with hopes to roll this out more widely in the longer term.

It comes amid a challenging backdrop for the business, which saw shares hit their lowest level for a decade last month.

In August, Domino’s said it came under pressure from “weaker” consumer confidence, while its store opening plans have been impacted by caution among franchisees after recent rises in labour costs and taxes.

Boss Andrew Rennie however stressed to the PA news agency that the company is still optimistic and sees opportunities to grow.

“Pizza is still a growing market and we have been growing our market share within that,” he said.

“But we have spent the past two years speaking to consumers and testing this potential proposition because there is clearly demand from customers and franchisees for this.

“Chicken is absolutely on trend and that is not going away – it’s a great source of protein and we have really strong products.

“We are big fans of other brands in that space but we already have 1,400 stores across the UK and really strong distribution so think we are in a really good position to make this work.”

The launch comes amid the continued growth of high street stalwarts such as KFC as well as US-based rivals such as Popeyes and Wingstop who have recently embarked on ambitious expansion plans.

Chick ‘N’ Dip will be trialled across 187 stores in the north west of England and in Northern Ireland.

The brand will offer a range of chicken tenders, wings and boneless bites, paired with a range of nine dips.

Mr Rennie added: “Chick ‘N’ Dip is a bold new chapter for Domino’s.

“By creating a dedicated concept that combines globally-inspired flavours with high quality chicken, we’re opening up a significant growth opportunity for our UK & Ireland business.

“This fantastic new product, millions of loyal customers and our trusted delivery model, is why we believe Chick ‘N’ Dip has the potential to be a powerful new growth lever for our business.”