From failing Class 6 and working as a coolie alongside his father to building a food business with an annual revenue of Rs 681 crore, meet P C Musthafa who has become an inspiring story for many.
His journey was recently highlighted in an X post by user @VikasAlwys.
Born into a financially struggling family in Kerala’s Wayanad district, Musthafa grew up in a household where his father, who had studied only up to Class 4, worked as a coolie on a coffee plantation, while his mother never attended school.
The family reportedly survived on just Rs 10 a day.
After failing Class 6, Musthafa dropped out of school and joined his father at work. Little did he know that his life was about change.
Topped Class 7, Class 10 examinations
And that’s exactly what happened when a teacher visited the plantation to find him. Realising that financial hardship was the reason behind the dropout, the teacher paid for Musthafa’s books and encouraged him to return to school.
The support proved life-changing. Musthafa went on to top his Class 7 and Class 10 examinations before earning a B.Tech degree from NIT Calicut. He later completed an MBA from IIM Bangalore and worked as a software engineer, including overseas assignments.
Birth of iD Fresh Food
The idea for iD Fresh Food took shape during his professional career. Along with his four cousins — Abdul Nazer, Shamsudeen TK, Jafar TK and Noushad TA — Musthafa launched the company from a 50 sq ft kitchen in Bengaluru, selling fresh idli and dosa batter.
Their aim was simple: to provide fresh, ready-to-use batter for busy urban households.
Today, iD Fresh Food has expanded across India and several international markets, including the UAE, the UK, the US, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Ireland and Singapore.
Meet Mustafa, a https://t.co/Ws1j7hoGgc graduate from NIT Calicut and an MBA from IIM Bangalore. This guy once failed in Class 6 and dropped out of school to work with his father as a coolie. His family used to survive on ₹10 a day
Today, he runs iD Fresh Food India Pvt. Ltd.,… pic.twitter.com/QgTyceC4Er
— Vikas Alwys (@VikasAlwys) August 23, 2026
Netizens react:
A user said, “Inspiring rags-to-riches tale of PC Musthafa who overcame failure and poverty to build Rs 681 crore iD Fresh.”
Another wrote, “Wow, he went from Rs 10 a day to Rs 681 crore.”
A third individual added, “Many thanks for sharing another inspiring story, this time about the importance of belief and persistence.”