Town & Country Pizza & Pasta is rolling out a heartfelt initiative, Taking Care of People, after piloting the project last year.

With a fresh new tagline that cleverly nods to the brand’s initials—T.C.P.—Taking Care of People captures the heart of Town & Country Pizza & Pasta, as managing director Joe Rossi explains. 

“Franchising is evolving, and today’s franchise buyers and customers want to align with purpose-driven brands.

“The Taking Care of People message reflects our commitment to prioritising support and wellbeing through staff development and recognition,” he says.

The hospitality chain’s new initiative is rooted in family values and a genuine desire to support people—from staff and franchisees to local communities. 

“Coming from an Italian family, no one ever left our home hungry; visitors were always taken care of. Our brand philosophy is a nod to that past,” Joe shares.

Systems designed for human experience not just efficiency

Town & Country’s warm and inviting restaurants reflect the brand’s heart, and the trend for nostalgia.

“The story behind our brand gives us permission to lean into that cosy environment,” Joe says.

As the chain grows—expanding into Western Australia—so too does its commitment to human-centered systems and meaningful experiences.

“We lead with empathy, designing systems around the human experience rather than just efficiency,” Joe points out. 

In practical terms, that means providing franchisees with better insights, smarter tools, and unwavering support to grow sustainably.

At its heart, Town & Country is committed to giving back to the communities it serves, and local connections are a cornerstone of this initiative.

As a Victorian-based business the links with community sports platforms are well established. This year an exciting collaboration with the Geelong Football Club harnesses AFL star power. Two Geelong Cats players will go head-to-head in a pizza-making showdown, crafting signature creations. Customers will vote for their favourite, and Town & Country will donate $10,000 to a charity of the winning player’s choice.

Heart-felt initiatives take Town & Country into values-first future

Another initiative with community at its heart has been running at store level. Town & Country, in partnership with the Give Where You Live charity, is helping families tackle cost-of-living pressures.

“Give Where You Live provides meal vouchers for families and we match the cost of the voucher,” Joe says.

This project is now part of the Taking Care of People initiative. TCP  will run for 12 months and then Town & Country will evaluate and tweak as necessary.

“We have some hard and fast principles, and the ability to report on those is important,” he says. 

Joe’s plan is to give the program its own life, and create a community platform for locals to communicate their own stories.

This is being driven at franchisor level, all franchisees opting in where they can. 

“We facilitate it for them, show them we can take it on, and show incoming franchisees we’re not just about increasing store count. We want to grow properly and these are our core values,” Joe says.

With more stores opening across Australia and a bold values-first mission at its core, Town & Country Pizza & Pasta is proving that purpose and profit can rise together.