From Casual Labourer to Agripreneur: How George Wambugu Turned Tree Tomatoes into a Fortune

Four years ago, George Wambugu was struggling to make ends meet as a casual laborer in Tanzania. His job—delivering medical drugs to chemists—barely earned him enough to survive. But one weekend visit back home in Nyeri changed his life forever.

Casual workers in Mr. Wambugu's farm

A Life-Changing Visit

During his visit, George stopped by a friend’s farm and was immediately captivated.

“The entire half-acre was painted in red and green—it was like a sea of fruits,” he recalls.
His friend had planted tree tomatoes, also known as tamarillos, a fruit species originally from New Zealand. George saw the potential immediately and decided this was his path out of poverty.

Taking the First Risk

Without hesitation, George quit his job in Tanzania. Using his small savings, he bought a 50-gram tin of Red Oratia tree tomato seeds for KSh 11,300. When his funds ran out, he sold his only dairy cow to buy more seedlings.
Having failed before with cabbages and beans, George was determined not to give up this time. He planted his first batch of seedlings on a small piece of land near a river—land his parents had given him.

The Sweet Taste of Success

Eight months later, his first harvest earned him KSh 20,000. It was the turning point he needed. Encouraged by the results, he expanded his farm, planting more Red Oratia seedlings.
Today, George has over 2,000 thriving tree tomato trees and recently bought two more acres to increase production.

Why Red Oratia Tree Tomatoes?

George swears by this particular variety for several reasons:

• ✅ High Edibility: About 97% of the fruit is edible, with very few seeds.

• 🕒 Long Shelf Life: The fruit can stay fresh for up to six months.

• 💰 High Market Value: He sells the fruits at KSh 100 per kilogram in Nairobi.

Besides selling fruits, George also sells Red Oratia seedlings at KSh 50 each, adding another income stream to his agribusiness.

Banking on Farming

After deducting his monthly expenses, George now takes home over KSh 80,000 every month—a figure he once thought impossible.

“I never imagined I could earn this much from farming,” he says proudly.

Sharing the Knowledge

The demand for his fruits has grown so fast that he can’t keep up with it. To bridge the gap, George now trains other farmers on how to grow and care for tree tomatoes.
And with a fruit processing plant set to open in Naromoru, he’s optimistic that his profits will soar even higher in the near future.

From Struggle to Sustainability

What started as a simple visit to a friend’s farm has blossomed into a sustainable agribusiness. George’s journey from a casual labourer to a successful tree tomato farmer proves that with vision, risk-taking, and persistence, agriculture can indeed be the path to financial freedom.

“The secret,” George says, “is to start small, learn fast, and never fear taking a chance on something new.”

Headline suggestion:

🌱 From Struggles to Success: How a Nyeri Farmer Found Prosperity in Tree Tomatoes
or
🍅 The Red Gold of Nyeri: How One Farmer Turned Tree Tomatoes into a Thriving Business