Who We Are
Mercanta is derived from the Latin root mercari, meaning to trade, buy, sell, or conduct commerce.
It forms the linguistic foundation of modern terms such as merchant, merchandise, market, and mercantile.
The name reflects the essence of our work: connecting markets, facilitating trade, and delivering structure, trust, and transparency to cross-border commodity transactions.
The ending “a” lends a global and inclusive tone, shared across Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, and Latin languages.
It also subtly acknowledges women’s leadership in a sector where it has not always been visible.
Global trade begins with trust - Trust begins with Us
Mercanta connects qualified buyers with trusted suppliers across agricultural, energy, and metal commodities, strengthening food and supply-chain security for governments, corporations, and distributors through reliable, compliant sourcing.
Our approach is grounded in transparency, structured protocols, and alignment with international standards. We require the information necessary to establish counterparty credibility, financial readiness, and operational capacity before any transaction progresses.
We operate with integrity and disciplined execution, protecting partners, enabling buyers, and empowering sellers across global markets.
Our Philosophy
The world has changed, but the fundamentals of trade should remain the same
At Mercanta, we return to the fundamentals that made trade reliable from the beginning
Restoring the clarity and discipline trade was built on
Trade has always rested on enduring fundamentals: real products, capable buyers, transparent terms, and trust built through alignment.
Our philosophy is to restore these principles to modern commodity markets through verification, structure, and disciplined execution.
At the core of our work are the foundational elements that shaped early marketplaces: trust, verification, fairness, relationships, structure, and responsible intermediation.
We uphold these not as ideals, but as operational standards, guiding every transaction and enabling buyers, sellers, and investors to move with confidence.
Team
We are reshaping how buyers, sellers, and intermediaries interact in global commodity markets by grounding every engagement in first principles—clarity, verification, fairness, and structured communication.
Our team brings together the discipline and rigor of institutional trading with the transparency, relational trust, and long-term commitment that only a dedicated intermediary partner can provide.
Patricia Funegra McKnew
President & CEO
Patricia is a senior commodities intermediation executive with deep experience navigating complex cross-border markets. She specializes in connecting qualified buyers with trusted exporters through transparent processes, verified counterparties, and disciplined execution.
Her background spans capital mobilization, international development, and global trade, supported by an extensive network across Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe. She works closely with producers, refineries, mills, mandates, and institutional partners.
As President of Mercanta, Patricia is recognized for bringing clarity to high-stakes negotiations, aligning counterparties, and building enduring commercial relationships grounded in integrity and trust.
Where We Work
Sourcing from the Americas. Serving buyers across Europe, MENA, Asia, and Africa, supported by global oil and gold producers.
