Facta International is a Dutch trading company that specializes in supplying cocoa beans, cocoa products, and coffee from various origins. With a strong presence in West Africa and a commitment to offering certified, high-quality commodities, Facta plays a key role in connecting producers from origin to global markets.
As the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) approaches enforcement, Facta has taken proactive steps to meet its requirements. Lacking in-house sustainability staff or teams in origin countries, the company needed a solution that could scale with its operations and provide the level of rigor and transparency the regulation demands. That’s where Picterra comes in.
EUDR compliance
Coffee and Cocoa
Junior Trader at Facta International
Like many small and mid-sized traders, Facta International faces the same compliance expectations as larger firms but with fewer resources. With a limited sustainability team in Amsterdam and relying on the input of our suppliers in the origin countries, ensuring traceable, deforestation-free cocoa and coffee creates both regulatory and operational challenges.
The main issue was data, especially its quality and consistency. Suppliers from different countries sent geolocation data in various formats, from incomplete Excel sheets to unreadable PDFs. Figuring out what was accurate, what was missing, and what could pose a compliance risk was nearly impossible without expert help. “The biggest challenges were getting the data in the first place, and then checking its quality,” says Patrick Nebout, Junior Trader at Facta International.
Without reliable deforestation checks or tools to verify farm-level information, Facta mainly depended on self-reported data from suppliers and third-party certifications. This created a risk, especially with the chance of fines or rejected shipments.
To meet EUDR requirements and enhance its supplier verification process, Facta turned to Picterra. The platform offers a scalable solution for analyzing farm-level data, assessing deforestation risk, and verifying the accuracy of geolocation files received from suppliers.
Patrick, who manages EUDR implementation at Facta, uses Picterra directly to upload and process data from suppliers. After analyzing the plots, he extracts insights and highlights issues, then provides this feedback to suppliers for correction. This feedback loop has already enhanced data quality and increased supplier engagement. “Being able to extract and share findings directly from the platform has made the process simple and efficient,” he says.
With Picterra managing the technical analysis and classification of risk levels, Patrick can focus on communication and compliance. His ability to identify inaccuracies in farm coordinates, verify locations against forest cover layers, and observe deforestation trends has provided new transparency into the supply chain. So far, Facta is configured to process up to 200,000 plots across its cocoa and coffee sourcing regions.
Junior Trader at Facta International
Before choosing Picterra, Patrick compared several providers. His decision was based on trust, usability, and expertise. “I spoke to people in the industry, compared options, and got a good feeling from the Picterra team early on,” he explains. “It was clear they knew what they were doing, and that made the difference.”
Manual checks and inconsistent supplier formats made it hard to verify information. Picterra now provides a structured, scalable way to validate geolocation data and assess deforestation risk, improving reliability from the start of the process.
Picterra’s analysis helps Facta see exactly where sourcing happens, moving beyond supplier declarations and certifications. This visibility brings accountability across all origins, especially in under-regulated or high-risk regions.
One person now manages compliance checks across 11 countries, using a single platform to upload data, run analysis, and generate reports. What was once manual, unclear, or impossible is now streamlined and repeatable.
Junior Trader at Facta International
For Facta, ease of use was essential. With a small sustainability team, the solution had to be accessible and straightforward. Picterra’s platform enabled Patrick to upload and analyze geolocation data without needing GIS expertise. Features like pre-2020 forest baselines, deforestation alerts, and visual layers made it simple to understand and respond to complex information.
Beyond the platform itself, the team’s responsiveness stood out. “The communication is direct, helpful, and fast. That human connection was just as important as the technology itself,” says Patrick. Quick support with data issues, such as fixing mislabelled coordinates or clarifying analysis outputs, helped build confidence early in the rollout.
Cost was another important factor. As a small trading company, Facta needed a partner that could provide both scale and value. Picterra offered a flexible, dependable solution that matched the company’s resources and ambitions. As the team prepares to integrate with the EU’s TRACES system, they know they can count on Picterra to support that step as well.
For Facta International, compliance is more than just a legal obligation; it represents a move toward more transparent and responsible trading. With Picterra, the company now has a scalable system to verify supplier data, assess deforestation risk, and prepare for the EUDR enforcement arriving in 2026.
What started as a regulatory requirement has become the foundation for broader sustainability efforts. The platform has increased visibility into Facta’s supply chain and is helping build more informed, data-driven relationships with suppliers across high-risk regions.
