Once, Mustafa's family earned about 10 rupees a day. For them, education was more of a luxury than a path to a better future. Mustafa failed the sixth grade and started working in a coffee plantation in Wayanad, Kerala, with his father. However, one teacher noticed his talent and convinced Mustafa's parents to send him back to school, covering the cost of textbooks.
Mustafa resumed his studies and became the best in his class. Following this, he received education at NIT Calicut and later at IIM Bangalore. After working abroad for several years, he returned to India and, along with his cousins, founded the company iD Fresh Food. Thanks to his perseverance and hard work, the company's annual valuation now exceeds 681 crore rupees. His story inspires people on social media.
It is worth noting that Mustafa grew up in Chennalode, Wayanad district, Kerala. His father only completed education up to the fourth grade and worked as a laborer on plantations, while his mother never attended school. Their family lived in difficult financial circumstances, and Mustafa, the eldest son, dropped out of school to help his father after failing the sixth grade. At that moment, his education could have ended, but one teacher prevented it.
The teacher began looking for children who had dropped out of school. During the search, he found Mustafa working. Realizing that the reason for his departure from studies was not unwillingness to learn but lack of money, the teacher persuaded his parents to send him back to school and took responsibility for paying for his books. Mustafa started studying again and worked diligently to achieve success on his own. Ultimately, he obtained an engineering degree from NIT Calicut and an MBA from IIM Bangalore.
Working abroad was not the final goal. After finishing his studies, Mustafa worked as a software engineer and got a job overseas. However, in 2005, he returned to Bangalore and decided to start his own business.
That is when the idea for iD Fresh was born. Mustafa and his four cousins—Abdul Nazir, Shamsuddin Tike, Zafar Tike, and Naushad Tike—started the company in a small 50-square-foot kitchen in Bangalore. Their first product was a ready mix of fresh idli and dosa.
To grow his business, Mustafa started with a small kitchen, and now this company has become a major ready-to-eat food producer. iD Fresh Food sells many products such as idli and dosa batter, paratha, cheese, yogurt, chutney, sambar, ready mixes, and filtered coffee. Today, iD Fresh operates not only in India but also in international markets, including the UAE, the UK, the USA, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Ireland, and Singapore.
The company's financial performance also demonstrates its growing success. In the fiscal year 2025, iD Fresh Foods' operating income increased by 22 percent, reaching 681.38 crore rupees, compared to 557.85 crore rupees in the previous fiscal year. The company recorded a net profit of 50.75 crore rupees in the fiscal year 2025, although this included a one-time deferred tax credit of 24.89 crore rupees. Excluding this amount, the company's core profit was approximately 26 crore rupees.