EPILIMNION in Trinidad and Tobago: expanding greenhouse production capacity to substitute imports

In September 2025, EPILIMNION Ltd., marketing its products under the CRISP brand, benefited—through the FFM+ programme—from in-depth technical support aimed at optimising and expanding its greenhouse production capacity under tropical conditions in Trinidad and Tobago.

Specialising in the production of baby greens, microgreens and herbs for local retail and food service markets, EPILIMNION has established itself in recent years as a credible local alternative to imported products, notably during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to rapidly growing demand, the company is now seeking to increase production volumes while improving the efficiency and sustainability of its production systems. Although it already operates climate-controlled greenhouses and NFT hydroponic systems, fine-tuning these infrastructures to tropical constraints remains a key challenge.

The support enabled a comprehensive assessment of existing infrastructure—including greenhouse design, ventilation, shading, climate management and irrigation—and the definition of an expansion plan incorporating a new NFT-based hydroponic lettuce production unit. It also led to the development of a robust financial model covering investment and operating costs over a ten-year period, with an estimated return on investment of 346% over five years. In addition, a target organisational structure and a training plan were proposed to sustainably strengthen the company’s technical and environmental management capacities.

This support now provides EPILIMNION with a structured roadmap to improve the climate performance of its greenhouses, enhance the sustainability of its operations and prepare for a well-managed scale-up.

Next steps will focus on targeted technical follow-up to support the implementation of priority recommendations—particularly in relation to ventilation, humidity management and environmental performance—as well as on finalising the business plan and supporting investment mobilisation. Recent discussions with an investment fund already familiar with the company open up concrete financing prospects and further confirm the project’s strong potential.

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union. This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.