Next week, Fero will be in Sacramento for the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium, joining key growers, winemakers and industry leaders at a moment of real transition for the wine sector.
California remains a leading wine-producing region in the US market and is a significant player on the global wine stage. From sustainability and innovation to branding, pricing and global trade, what happens in California tends to ripple far beyond the US market.
A transitional year for US wine
At the same time, producers are operating under increased pressure. Capital is tied up in inventory for longer, costs continue to rise and volatility has become the norm rather than the exception. These are global challenges, but they’re felt in California today – which makes it a key area where Fero’s unique funding and supply chain technology platform can have a big impact.
According to the annual Silicon Valley Bank's State of the US Wine Industry 2026 report that was released last week, author and industry expert, Rob McMillan, predicts that while 2026 will be another challenging year, the industry does seem to be approaching a more stable point and will benefit those who can continually adapt.
“2026 will be another challenging year, yet a transitional year where some wineries and growers will close their doors while others stake their claim to the future of wine,” according to the report.
Planting US wine roots
Fero is committed to the US market and recently expanded the team with Regina Sanz, joining Fero’s ranks as head of wine US, where she will focus on bringing new wine clients and supporting long-term partnerships across the region. Based in California wine country, Regina sees the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium as an important exhibition and will be attending across both days, meeting producers and engaging directly with the trade.
“California is where global wine trends collide through innovation, scale, tradition and craftsmanship. Right now these trends are met with mounting pressure as demand shifts across the industry. Being at UW&GS allows us to listen closely to producers and understand how their needs are evolving. At Fero, our role is to help wine businesses turn their inventory into opportunity, especially in moments like this. It’s a chance to deepen relationships, share insight and better understand how producers are thinking about growth, liquidity and resilience in today’s changing market,” Sanz explained.
This year’s symposium also marks an important milestone for Fero in the US, as they continue to build a strong, locally rooted team.
For Sanz, the timing couldn’t be better.
She said: “I’m excited to be joining Fero at a point when the wine industry is in transition. Fero truly understands the realities of the wine industry, and I’m looking forward to helping producers unlock value in their businesses while staying focused on what they do best: making great wine.”
Mitch Fowler, the chief executive and co-founder of Fero, said: “We could not be more excited to welcome Regina to the team. Her breadth of experience with some of the flagship wineries in Napa and Sonoma, coupled with her knowledge of the unique tech and working capital funding challenges that such businesses face truly complements the team of experts we are building in the US. We are committed to helping build a more resilient global drinks market and she is a crucial team member that will enable our ability to deliver that for the US industry.”
If you would like to arrange a meet up in Sacramento, please get in touch at info@ferodrinks.com and we can arrange a time for you to meet with someone from the Fero team at the show.
Note: UW&GS and the UW&GS Logo are licensed trademarks of Unified Wine & Grape Symposium LLC.
