e-commerce sales grow strongly at Domino's

Domino's Pizza UK & Ireland saw internet sales increase by more than two-thirds in 2005 to more than 10% of total sales.

In the 52 weeks to 1 January 2006, e-commerce sales increased to £13.9m last year, equivalent to 10.4% of total sales, a leap of 69.5% year-on-year.

Pre-tax profit was up 26.6% at £11.2m (from £8.8m in 2004), and group turnover increased 10% to £81.7m.

Turnover would have been higher but for the decision to sell the company's 14 owned corporate stores in the year to concentrate on its main franchising business.

System sales, which represent all the sales of stores within the UK and Ireland, smashed the £200m barrier for the first time in the division's 20-year history, increasing 15.1% year-on-year to £200.7m (from £174.3m in 2004).

Company chief executive Stephen Hemsley said: "We are confident that this growth is sustainable into the long-term given the strong growth prospects of the market in which we operate."

Domino's opened 50 stores in the territory during the 12-month period, bringing its total to 407 stores.

It said like-for-like sales in the first six-weeks of the year were up by 10.3% year-on-year.

By Chris Druce

Get your copy of Caterer and Hotelkeeper every week - click here to subscribe and save 25%.