Santa Monica-based data startup Factual made a big expansion Wednesday, saying that it has launched a new category of data called Factual Global Products. The new data store contains information for over 500,000 consumer packaged goods, all indexed via UPC and full-text information. Factual said the new data area provides key attributes on a product, including brand, product name, size, category, UPC, and links to images. Factual's various APIs are being heavily used in such areas as geolocation data and mobile apps; the new area opens up a new area for the firm's service. Factual said that NetPlenish and Grokr are both using the new API; NetPlenish is the Ventura firm headed by Dave Compton, and Grokr is a stealth-mode firm headed by former McAfee founder Srivats Sampath.