Big Tree Estate
- First time cooperation: 2025
- Cooperation model: Indirect Trade
About
Big Tree Estate carries a storied history, beginning with its name originally dubbed “Fig Tree” by the British, then localized to “Big Tree” through the unique linguistic accents of Kenya. Acquired by the Wabuge family from a British owner in 1970, the farm witnessed the golden era of coffee before facing harsh market fluctuations.
Situated at an elevation of 1,800 meters above sea level, Big Tree Estate enjoys rare natural advantages, including consistent rainfall and mineral-rich reddish-brown soil. Under the direct management of Paul and Lusike Wabuge, the cultivation process is a synergy of precise agronomic techniques and a profound love for the land, ensuring that every harvest captures the pure essence of this agricultural paradise.
A Surgeon Sowing Life Back into His Homeland
The most significant turning point for Big Tree Estate began in 2019, marking an inspiring generational transition. Paul, then a surgeon in Murang’a, decided to set aside a highly respected medical career to return to Kitale with his brother, Gabriel. They left their flourishing professional paths to take over the farm’s destiny from their father – the former Kenyan Ambassador to the U.S. during the Reagan administration. This homecoming was more than just inheriting an estate; it was a commitment to reviving a fading heritage along the fertile tributaries of the Nzoia River, a place that has long been the pride of the Wabuge lineage.
Through unwavering perseverance, starting from the few solitary trees that survived the decline of coffee in Kitale, Big Tree Estate has expanded its cultivation area significantly, reaching 24 acres by 2025. This journey marks the proud return of the Wabuge family to the global Specialty coffee map, where the story of a “surgeon-turned-farmer” has become a symbol of the intersection between academic intellect and a passionate drive for sustainable agriculture.
SL28 & Batian: The Foundation of Lasting Quality
The quest for Specialty coffee quality at Big Tree Estate began with a strategic selection of varieties, where the resilience of Batian meets the legendary refinement of SL28. In 2019, the first Batian trees were planted in the Kitale soil. From those initial steps, the farm has flourished to encompass 9,800 thriving coffee trees. Notably, in 2023, the family made a pivotal move by introducing 10,000 trees of the renowned SL28 variety into cultivation.
The fruits of this meticulousness have ripened, with recent lots achieving exceptional quality and paving the way for the first direct exports to international markets. Looking ahead, Big Tree Estate aims for a broader vision: expanding shade tree systems to create a sustainable agroforestry ecosystem, preparing for the first SL28 harvests, and deepening their participation in coffee Caucuses.
When Medical Principles Root in Cultivation
For Paul, the transition from surgeon to farmer is the application of absolute discipline and precision to the earth. At Big Tree Estate, each block is prepared with the same level of detail as a major surgical procedure. Tree spacing is generously calculated to ensure optimal photosynthesis, with deep planting holes enriched with 30kg of organic manure at the outset.
Every two years, each tree receives an additional 40kg of sugarcane manure – a rich nutrient source that improves soil structure and ensures sustainable moisture retention. Furthermore, during the early growth stages before the coffee is ready for harvest, beans are intercropped to provide ground cover, fix natural nitrogen, and maintain the health of the soil’s microbial ecosystem.
This scientific and precise mindset yielded its first sweet rewards during the 2021 harvest. Upon appearing at the Nairobi Coffee Exchange, Big Tree immediately established its prestige. These coffee beans, bearing the hallmark of meticulousness, science, and a love for the land, received high acclaim from experts, opening a promising new chapter for the Wabuge family brand on the international stage.
Women at the Heart of the Operating Model
At Big Tree Estate, women are regarded as the “backbone” of the community and the key factor in creating the distinctiveness of every coffee bean. The farm’s operating philosophy goes beyond dry technical specifications; it is guided by the empathy, persistence, and inherent meticulousness of women.
The respect for these “roses” at Big Tree Estate transcends conventional gender equality; it is a recognition of their status as true artisans. This is why the management and critical stages of the farm’s operations are predominantly led by dedicated women from the strategic coordination of the farm manager to the skillful hands of the workers.
Why We Choose Big Tree Estate
XLIII Coffee’s choice to partner with Big Tree Estate goes beyond the quality of Kitale’s coffee beans; it is, above all, a meeting of two minds on the same frequency regarding sustainable development. Both share a long-term vision: coffee is the crystallization of scientific precision and ecological responsibility. While Big Tree demonstrates absolute discipline through its science-driven cultivation, XLIII Coffee relentlessly pursues transparency and authenticity in every cup served. This shared ethos creates a strong bond where the value of meticulousness is celebrated, and modern agronomic standards become the common language for both to elevate the status of Kenyan coffee globally.
Beyond technical alignment, XLIII Coffee and Big Tree Estate find common ground in their deep concern for social responsibility and human development. We believe that true progress must go hand-in-hand with preserving cultural heritage and improving the livelihoods of those directly connected to the roots of the coffee tree. This partnership is a testament to the tireless effort to create a transparent supply chain, where every bean carries a story of kindness, love for the land, and the powerful aspiration for transformation of a successor generation.
