Propelled by a vision of supplying hotels in Jamaica with fresh fruit, Toni-Ann Williams embarked on a journey into entrepreneurism unaware of the setbacks she would face as a commercial farmer.

In 2020, starting with a small greenhouse operation, Williams founded Mosa Estate, which she describes as an agri-tech and agro-processing company geared towards health, wellness and sustainability.

“I took things a bit further and started a delivery service — delivering exotic fruits and vegetables to homes and offices during COVID to promote healthy eating and living. During this time we had recurring issues with the consistency and reliability of the locally produced fruits and vegetables and also the quality of local and even imported fruits,” she shared with Jamaica Observer about her motivation to start the company.

Yet, as demand for the company’s produce grew, specifically strawberries, Mosa Estate had an “even bigger issue [of] finding land to grow this crop.

“This led me to conceptualise our Mosa Estate microclimate greenhouse,” Williams explained, adding that it is an enclosed system that allows for production of crops year-round.

The automated climate-smart system creates an ideal environment in which Mosa Estate can grow strawberries and other types of berries and can be set up in areas that are free from environmental stress and extreme climate change effects. By creating its own microclimate in the greenhouse, Mosa Estate can increase its output of crops.

“This system works by using vertically stacked hydroponic grow beds to maximise on space [and] to optimise on output and is fully automated where systems can be controlled remotely. Unlike traditional farming, which uses enormous areas of land, hydroponics uses much smaller areas with significant output. No herbicides and little to no pesticides are used, which provides more organic food…We utilise solar energy to offset electrical costs, [but] our aim is to create an off the grid farm,” the CEO pointed out.

While the company has focused most of its energy on the growth of strawberries, Mosa Estate recently introduced a new line of juices. Still, Williams eagerly awaits the launch of other value-added products such as smoothies and sorbets which, she said, will take place shortly.

At present the company markets its products digitally using its e-commerce website www.mosaestate.com, while also leveraging social media to advertise its products. The website carries an expansive portfolio of local and imported seeds, vegetables, exotic fruits, and supplements.

When asked how she has financed the operations of Mosa Estate, Williams told Sunday Finance, “Our initiative is funded by bootstrapping.”

Bootstrapping refers to the use of one’s own money to capitalise a business.

However, she further explained that most recently the company has also been the beneficiary of prize monies won in pitch competitions as well as grants.

“We have were a part of the DBJ [Development bank of Jamaica] IGNITE [Innovation Grant from New Ideas to Entrepreneurship] 4 cohort where we’ve received funding to build out our agri-tech project. We’re also a top-three finalist in the national Climate Launchpad Accelerator, Micropitch Jamaica and Caribbean winners in most sustainable business and Branson Center of Entrepreneurship Program virtual Accelerator,” she said.

In June this year, Williams, representing Mosa Estate, placed third out of over 200 applicants from 18 countries in The Flow Business InKnowvation Pitch Challenge, earning her a cash and technology prize package worth over US$20,000.

Combining all the cash and technology prizes with grant funding from the DBJ, Williams is now in the process of redesigning and renovating the outlay of the Mosa Estate operation.

“We’ve really just started building out our system which should be up and running early 2024. Based on the capacity, we’re expecting to exceed 100 per cent ROI [return on investment] 12 months after our fruiting season,” Williams disclosed to Sunday Finance.

Aside from Williams, the company employs a consultant and a part-time employee.

Located in the parish of St James, which has a vibrant hospitality market, the CEO said the company’s vision for the next three years is to “capture most of the hospitality sector on the north coast, providing a constant supply of fresh produce throughout the year.

“Our ultimate goal to have our system fully established in other Caribbean islands to help support localised food production and reduce the need for imports on fresh produce. Our aim is to utilise modern technology in agriculture,” she concluded.