Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jun 28: Success rarely comes easy, but the story of P C Mustafa, who went from being a daily wage worker after failing the sixth grade to building a Rs 100 crore enterprise, stands as a remarkable testament to grit and perseverance.
Growing up in a remote village in Kerala, Mustafa faced immense hardships. His village lacked basic amenities like electricity, and the nearest high school was four kilometres away, leading most children to drop out after primary education. The son of a daily wage worker and an uneducated mother, Mustafa initially showed little interest in academics, preferring to help his father rather than complete his homework.
After failing in class 6, Mustafa lost all interest in education and decided to drop out to join his father as a daily wage worker. However, his school teacher recognized his potential in mathematics and intervened. The teacher convinced Mustafa's father to give the boy a second chance. Returning to school meant facing the humiliation of sitting with his juniors, but this proved to be a major turning point. Driven by a newfound determination, Mustafa not only topped class 7, but also went on to become the topper in class 10.
With his father unable to fund his further education, Mustafa secured admission at Farooq College in Kozhikode, where he was one of 15 underprivileged students offered free boarding and meals. Coming from a rural background, Mustafa struggled significantly with English, which was the medium of instruction. He overcame this hurdle with the help of a good friend who would translate every lecture for him.
His hard work paid off when he secured the 63rd rank in the state engineering entrance exam, earning him a seat in computer science at the Regional Engineering College (now NIT Calicut). Following his graduation, Mustafa built a successful corporate career, working for multinational companies like Manhattan Associates, Motorola, and Citibank.
Despite a lucrative corporate career, Mustafa developed a keen interest in business management. He cracked the CAT and secured admission to the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Bangalore. It was during his time at IIM-B that the seeds for his entrepreneurial venture were sown.
Alongside his cousins, Mustafa launched iD Fresh, an idli and dosa batter supplying company, with a modest initial investment of Rs 25,000, two grinding mixers, and a sealing machine. After graduating from IIM in 2007, he officially took over as the chief executive officer, handling marketing and finance.
What began with sales of just 10 packets a day soon rapidly expanded. Today, iD Fresh caters to markets in Mangaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, and Dubai. From its humble beginnings, the company now produces around 50,000 kg of batter daily at its plant, scaling up with a total investment of Rs 4 crore and generating a staggering revenue of Rs 100 crore.