CDA Helps CT Businesses

Connecticut Development Authority Board of Directors recently approved a loan guarantee for $360,000 in financing for Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens.

Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens is a third generation, family-owned wholesale nursery with two locations in Connecticut. Established in 1922, the company began as a cut-flower business in Westport where they continue to operate their garden and retail center which includes greenhouses, outdoor formal display gardens and a retail shop.

The majority of the growing is done at Gilbertie’s 37-acre farm in Easton, where they operate 200,000 square feet of greenhouses. This location is where the company developed its wholesale Landscape Yard as a way of increasing sales and extending the selling period to reduce the seasonal nature of the business.

Gilbertie’s is currently working towards organic certifications for its herbs and vegetables, which could potentially expand their sales to supermarkets significantly.