About Indies Greens

• Company status: Limited.
• Year of registration: 2010.
• Number of employees: 7.
• Business sector: Aquaculture and hydroponics.

Larry Francis – Managing Director

Larry Francis has a strong technical background spanning over 30 years in various fields from project management to computer systems programming, IT Services, telecommunications and business management. He has been involved in fish keeping and rearing for more than 40 years. He is especially skilled at building effective, productive, working relationships with clients and other members of staff, with excellent analytical, organisational, and creative skills and is committed to the highest levels of professional and personal excellence. Larry has trained over 100 persons from across the Caribbean region in aquaponics and is passionate in the quest to expand the reach of hydroponics and aquaculture to Caribbean communities. He believes that through collective cooperation, the Region’s food security can be achieved and sustained.

Background

Founded in 2010, Indies Greens is a family owned business dedicated to sustainable food production specializing in aquaculture, and hydroponics.

The idea of Indies Greens was driven out of the need to develop agriculture practices that are suitable for Antigua’s climate.

The enterprise started out with 2 x 4000 gal. (15,000 L) tilapia ponds and 12 gravel grow beds. Now they have expanded the infrastructure to 6 x 4500 gal. concrete fish grow out tanks, 7 x 2000 gal. concrete fish fingerling tanks, 4 x 2000 gal. hatchery and nursery tanks.  The hydroponic system has been upgraded to 4 x 100’ x 8’ deep water culture troughs.

When they started, aquaponics was in its infancy and sea caught fish dominated the local market. Tilapia was not very common. Aquaponics was chosen as an alternative to the traditional farming methods since it produces very high produce yields while using minimal land space, water and fertilizers.

Business Model

Indies Greens is firmly grounded in environmental sustainability. It emphasizes minimizing water usage, reusing resources, limiting the use of non-organic pesticides, and investing in renewable energy systems. Rainwater harvesting is a fundamental practice, alongside the use of fish waste nutrients to support plant growth and nourish the surrounding landscape.

The operations are centred around recirculating aquaculture systems, which include the cultivation of tilapia, ornamental tropical fish, and Caribbean coral.

In April 2013, Indies Greens began constructing an aquaponics training centre in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Brazil. Since its establishment, the centre has trained over 100 individuals from various countries across the region, including the Bahamas and Barbados.

Educational tours are regularly offered to a wide range of participants, from pre-school to college students, as well as adults. These tours highlight the importance of sustainable agriculture, with a focus on reducing resource consumption and promoting methods of reuse.

Relationships

Indies Greens actively cooperate with local hydro-producers to pool their production capacities.  This allows for greater production stability to be provided to the market that they serve. Indies Greens provides the members of the cooperation with refrigerated storage and distribution for the produce.

Main products

Aquaponics is an eco-friendly food production system which uses natural processes – no herbicides, pesticides or other harsh chemicals. Customers are welcome to visit and purchase fresh Tilapia fish and handpick their own garden salad vegetables.

The main product of the farm is Tilapia. In addition, they also grow different plants such as: Chive, Cilantro, Celery, Chaddon beni, Dill, Kale, Lettuce, Parsley, and Pepper.

Main markets

The market served is the local sector to include home users, restaurants, hotels and supermarkets

Milestones

Indies Greens integrates the principles of the circular economy, driving the team to continuously reinvent its model to stay relevant in a constantly evolving environment.

Over the past years, the organization has transitioned from operating solely as a tilapia and vegetable farm to diversifying its offerings. These now include farm-to-table services, event hosting, coral aquaculture, ornamental fish aquaculture, a training facility, educational tours, and system design and construction services.

A photovoltaic electricity system has been fully incorporated into operations, supporting sustainability goals. Rainwater is harvested from all roofs and stored in an underground cistern. Wastewater from aquaculture systems is collected, filtered, and reused, while sludge is repurposed as fertilizer for the landscape.

Future-proofing efforts include event hosting and agrifood production aimed at the local economy and on-site consumption. The farm serves as a venue for social events, such as weddings, birthdays, and reunions, while also catering to the tourism sector by offering visitors a distinct “local experience.” The facility has been transformed to allow visitors to not only enjoy its products but also witness the potential of sustainable agriculture in action.

Needs for upscaling

Despite these advancements, challenges persist. The farm faces a lack of access to affordable financing, as its non-traditional business model is not well understood by lenders, resulting in difficulty securing commercial funding. Additionally, insufficient government legislation hinders growth in the sector, and local producers struggle to compete with similar imported products, which are often granted preferential market access.

Success factors and lessons learned

Antigua is a country that relies heavily on food imports. Nevertheless, in the recent years and especially since Covid, there a has been a movement in Antigua of people wanting to eat healthy and locally and take care of their health. This has positively impacted the farm.

Moreover, Indies Greens collaborates with similar producers across the region, leveraging the strength in numbers. As a member of the Antigua & Barbuda National Hydro Growers and the Caribbean Aquaproducers Association, the company seeks to strengthen sector representation to governments and enhance competitiveness with imported goods.

Indies Greens has been rewarded for its outstanding innovations. In 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture of Antigua chose Indies Greens as one of its Food Hero which was selected on World Food Day.

Additional Resources

• Business Profile (English)
• Business Profile (French)
• Business Profile (Spanish)