Joe Rossi, CEO of Town & Country Pizza and Pasta, shares how his family’s humble local pizza shop—founded by his father in 1989, grew into a strong Victorian-based franchise expanding nationally.

Rooted in authentic Italian family recipes, Joe discusses how generational leadership, genuine passion, and community connection shape their brand’s success.

He also talks about their first interstate expansion into Western Australia, how they balanced gut instinct with data in decision-making, and how they’re navigating Australia’s franchise regulations while maintaining a family-first culture and sustainable growth strategy.

0:00 Introduction

0:34 The story behind Town & Country Pizza and Pasta

02:20 The original recipes inspired by Joe’s grandmother

3:48 The rise of second-generation leaders in Australian franchising

6:13 Joe’s early years in hospitality before joining the family franchise

7:15 Expanding beyond Victoria and opening the first store in WA

10:36 How supply chain consistency was maintained across states

12:49 Discussing franchising regulations in Australia

15:00 The hidden challenges of compliance costs for emerging brands

16:53 Supporting franchisees through growth and sustainable expansion

18:00 Wrap up

Listen or Watch on;

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/2shabet8

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/mrxajtfb

Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/3x7zx5bs

YouTube: https://youtu.be/rnI921o6xys

Nitin Khadalia migrated to Australia in 2006 after nearly two decades in the automotive industry, carrying with him a strong foundation in customer service and a vision for business ownership.

In 2018, he took the leap and acquired his first PACK & SEND franchise, an existing site in Victoria. From there, his journey quickly gained momentum adding new and existing centres through COVID-19 and beyond, growing to five outlets with family members and trusted partners playing key roles in the business.

Today, Nitin’s day looks very different from when he was running just one centre. With strong teams, dedicated managers, and the support of PACK & SEND head office, he has built a structure that not only drives growth but also gives him the freedom to step back, travel, and focus on strategy.

Committed to learning and evolving, he is exploring the FCA’s Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) Program and encourages others to see franchising not as “buying a job” but as building a business that demands vision, adaptability, and hard work.

0:00 Introduction

0:42 Nitin's family background and PACK & SEND journey

2:32 Scaling from one PACK & SEND franchise to five stores

4:06 How daily routines have changed from running one PACK & SEND outlet to managing five

6:02 Identifying the most difficult challenges in running multiple franchises

7:36 Consistent support from head office through business growth

8:51 What attracted Nitin to inquire about becoming a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE)

11:06 Advice for anyone considering becoming a franchisee

13:02 Addressing misconceptions and wrong expectations in franchising

15:02 The importance of research and foundation decisions before scaling

17:33 Wrap up

Listen or Watch on;

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/bd44adb3

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/3med6cmk

Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/2bvceukw

YouTube: https://youtu.be/qV44GdcGA0E