Joe Pocevicius had been working closely with manufacturers of snacks – crackers and pretzels from all over the world, for the past nine years.
Catalina Mihu: How does RBS define each market, and what makes each of them unique, in your work?
Joe Pocevicius: The biggest difference is that Europe is not really a single market at all. There are significant differences across the countries that we sell to, for example. The European region, for us, includes Ukraine, Turkey and Israel, for example. It also includes the UK, France and Germany, obviously. There are major differences between each of these countries. So, from the sales perspective, our team needs to have the knowledge and ability to navigate across these different customers with different buying habits, and different views of the business. By comparison, in the US, a salesperson from the East Coast will be able to sell on the West Coast, in a similar way.
There are different marketing strategies across Europe and the Middle East, starting from the type of products that are in demand in each market. In Southern Europe, for instance, pretzel consumption is very low. By contrast, there’s a significant amount of pretzel consumption in Germany and Eastern Europe. In Southern Europe, the salesperson has to know about sweet biscuits, cookies and crackers – sheeted product ranges.
Whereas in the US, for example, we separate our sales team, according to process types or product lines; the salesperson in Europe has to have a broader knowledge of everything that we do, to be able to service the entire region. Alternatively, there are different budgets in the Middle East, for instance, with different price points. Countries with a considerably higher price sensitivity need a dedicated offer that fits their needs, from all points of view.
”Following the American snack market has been a winning strategy.”
Joe Pocevicius, Sales Director, Reading Bakery Systems
Mihu: And how does RBS approach each market?
Pocevicius: As a US-based company, we are able to follow the American snack market closely, which has been a winning strategy. With this knowledge, we can promote trends to the different regions across the world. They can include the newest developments in pretzels or baked crisps: for example, a popular product in the US is a peanut butter-filled pretzel nugget. It’s a unique product that’s doing very well in the US, and has become a popular flavor on the market. Peanut butter, however, is not so well-liked everywhere else in the world. To be successful, such a snack would need to appeal to local tastes.
Looking at the Middle East, for instance, dates are really popular, so a date-filled pretzel nugget would make more sense in these countries. We’ve been developing this product and the initial response from our Middle Eastern customers has been amazing. In the region, cookies and savory biscuits are among the primary snacking choices, so pretzels would be a new entry.
In Asia, we’ve seen a completely new product introduced to the market with success: broken pretzel pieces. These were first introduced in the US, then they became successful in Europe with different seasonings, and now the concept is well received in China, for example. There, instead of seasoning the pretzel pieces with flavors like honey, mustard and onion, flavors usually found in the US and Europe, they are making versions with flavors such as cotton candy, or wasabi, modified to fit the local tastes.
Joe Pocevicius, Sales Director – EMEA & APAC
He joined RBS in 2012 as an Engineering Project Manager, initially responsible for Eastern Europe projects. Now based in the Netherlands, Pocevicius is in charge of planning and directing all sales programs and managing technical support for RBS products and services offered in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia. A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Penn State University (International Politics and Russian), he also earned an Executive MBA from Rotterdam School of Management.
Mihu: And Asian-specific flavors such as these can successfully enter European markets, too?
Pocevicius: Definitely – and vice versa. Globalization is helping products circulate all over the world, from North America to Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and back. Such transfers are a growing trend.
A name that needs no introduction
David Welch is an established name in biscuit and cracker production.
BBI: What made RBS an interesting opportunity for you now?
David Welch: I’ve worked in the cookie cracker sector all my working life, but found myself wanting a change. I wanted to stay in the industry. RBS were the obvious choice for me. They are dominant in the US and I wanted to be a part of the continued growth in EMEA. They continue to invest in development from continuous mixers to new technologies for baking, tunnel ovens being of particular interest to me. The Science and Innovation Center is world-class and a great asset to me in my role as sales manager.
BBI: How do your background and expertise contribute to client projects and their various challenges?
Welch: My background is more focused on the engineering side of cookies and crackers. I have more than a decade of experience starting up production lines first-hand and have witnessed, and resolved, many issues that our customers face. This first-hand experience and engineering knowledge of the machines allow me to relate to our customers and discuss their problems and propose solutions.
”The use of AI and technology within the
production environment is rising.”
David Welch, Sales Manager – Europe, Reading Bakery Systems
BBI: What recent noteworthy observation could you share, from your work with customers?
Welch: The use of AI and technology within the production environment. It’s being implemented to reduce the reliance on the ‘time served’ operators and improve overall product quality and efficiency at all stages through the production line.
David Welch, Sales Manager – Europe
Based in the UK, David Welch joined RBS in August 2024. A well-known specialist in cookies, biscuits and crackers, Welch is a senior engineer with more than 20 years of experience in food manufacturing. He has held several technology engineering roles, including project management. His previous assignments include that of Chief Engineer at Baker Perkins. Welch holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
Technical support and more
Roman Romanov is covering Aftermarket Sales and Technical Support, EMEA at Reading Bakery Systems (RBS), providing local technical service, support, and spare parts support.
BBI: What made RBS an interesting opportunity for you now?
Roman Romanov: What drew me to RBS is the opportunity to be on the front lines helping customers solve real production challenges. I enjoy working closely with operators and maintenance teams, and this role allows me to directly support them – whether it’s troubleshooting, improving uptime, or making sure they get the most out of their equipment.
BBI: And how do you work with clients?
Romanov: I focus on being responsive. When a customer reaches out with an issue, I try to solve the problem quickly. Whether it’s coordinating the right parts or helping with service, I try to make the experience quick and easy.
BBI: What recent noteworthy observation have you made, from your work with customers?
Romanov: Lately, I’ve seen a real shift toward customers wanting more support around flexibility and efficiency. They’re asking for help running a wider range of products on the same lines or dialing in settings for better performance. There’s also more interest in energy-saving improvements and proactive maintenance.
”Lately, I’ve seen a real shift toward customers wanting more support around flexibility and efficiency.”
Roman Romanov, Reading Bakery Systems
BBI: How do you help develop and/or promote new solution ideas?
Romanov: A lot of ideas come from what we hear every day in tech support – recurring issues, feature requests, or opportunities to make things more user-friendly. I bring that feedback back to the team so we can come up with practical upgrades or service improvements that make a real difference in the field.
Roman Romanov
With an engineering degree, Roman brings deep technical expertise and a customer-f
ocused approach to his role. He supports customers throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa by helping them keep their lines running with parts and service, troubleshoot challenges, and identify the right solutions to extend the life and efficiency of their equipment.
