Once upon a time, Domino’s Pizza tasted like cardboard.

Yes, you read that right.

In 2008, consumers of Domino’s pizza openly criticised the company’s food, saying the crust tasted like cardboard and the tomato sauce like ketchup. In that year, Domino’s domestic same-store sales fell by 4.9%, and the company faced growing concerns about its product and its ability to compete in the market.

Today, about 18 years after that period, Domino’s is recognised as the largest pizza company in the world. It operates more than 22,500 stores across over 90 international markets, with global retail sales of more than $20.6 billion in the four quarters ending June 14, 2026.

And here’s how that shift happened.

Reinventing the Domino’s Pizza Recipe and Customer Experience

While they were fulfilling one of their goals of ensuring fast delivery, Domino’s began to see that speed alone wasn’t good enough if customers found their pizza barely tolerable, and so the company went back to the drawing board.

It spent about 18 months reinventing its core pizza, changing the crust, sauce and cheese.

Beyond just changing how their pizza tasted, Domino’s understood something else.

Having good pizza makes them just as good as everyone else, but that was not what they needed. If they were to dominate the market, they had to be the best.

So, beyond just reinventing their pizza, they reinvented the customer experience. They introduced tools such as the Pizza Tracker, which allowed customers to follow their orders from the time they placed them to the moment they arrived at their door.

They also built tools that allowed customers to customise their pizzas and see their selections come to life on their computer screens. The idea was not just to make a better pizza, but to make the entire process of ordering one better.

This process says something, reinvention goes beyond just changing what you offer. It can also mean rethinking how you deliver value to the people you serve.

The Shift

By 2010, domestic same-store sales had grown by 9.9%, compared with the 4.9% decline in 2008. The company also ended 2010 with 9,351 stores worldwide, up from 8,624 at the beginning of 2008.

The turnaround was significant enough that Domino’s was named Chain of the Year by Pizza Today in 2010.

One of the biggest lessons from the Domino’s story is that the company did not simply sit back and hope things would improve. It conducted a critical analysis of its product, listened to what its customers were saying and asked itself a very important question: What do we need to reinvent to become relevant?

And this is one question we all must ask, whether as CEOs, business owners, career professionals, entrepreneurs or leaders.

One of the biggest lessons from the Domino’s story is that the company did not simply sit back and hope things would improve. It conducted a critical analysis of its product, listened to what its customers were saying and asked itself a very important question: What do we need to reinvent to become relevant?

And this is one question we all must ask, whether as CEOs, business owners, career professionals, entrepreneurs or leaders.

Another important fact to consider as leaders is that while innovation and reinvention are important, it is also important to remember that not everything new is necessarily better or will lead to success.

New Does Not Always Mean Good- Crystal Pepsi

In 1992, Pepsi-Cola launched Crystal Pepsi, following a marketing trend for clear and pure products. At the time, clear and caffeine-free drinks were gaining popularity, so Pepsi decided to create a version of its cola that was both clear and caffeine-free.

Pepsi backed the launch of the clear cola with a lot of publicity, including a high-profile Super Bowl commercial. Soon, it was everywhere. The Crystal Pepsi generated strong consumer interest and sold well enough during its early months to look like a promising new product for Pepsi.

But the momentum did not last.

As the novelty wore off, sales began to fall, and by 1994, Pepsi discontinued Crystal Pepsi in the United States, ending the product’s original run after only a short time on the market.

However, based on consumer demand, Pepsi brought back Crystal Pepsi in 2016 and 2017, but only as a limited release. Pepsi recognised that while some customers wanted it back, the product was not one it could build a long-term market around. After the limited release in 2017, Crystal Pepsi was once again taken off the market.

The Crystal Pepsi story shows that while reinvention and innovation are important, not everything new works, and not every change leads to the outcome we expect.

This reality raises yet another important question:

When reinventing, innovating, or adapting, how do we determine what is worth pursuing? And when things do not work as expected, how do we respond?

At IMMERSE, we understand that while the topic of reinvention and innovation may sound simple when discussed in a podcast, an article or a conference, actually performing it and executing a repositioning, innovation or reinvention strategy is no walk in the park. As a leader, you may be asking:

• How do I remain innovative without losing operational discipline?
• How do I remain faithful to a long-term vision while adapting my methods?

These questions and more will be addressed at the 4th edition of the Visionary Leadership Conference, holding on 29–31 October 2026, with the theme “Executing Vision in an Age of Disruption.”

At VLC 2026, we will explore what it takes for leaders and organisations to recognise when change is necessary, rethink what is no longer working and reinvent themselves for what comes next.

As a leader intentional about building something new while keeping it relevant in this ever-changing business environment, this is a meeting you don’t want to miss.

VLC 2026 brings you an executive learning experience where you, as a participant, gain practical tools, engage with real-world case studies, learn from accomplished practitioners, and leave with actionable plans for implementation.

Visit our website to learn more about how you can participate, whether virtually or in person, and secure your ticket now.