Cheated of Rs 10, PC Musthafa learnt a lesson for life

PC Musthafa, CEO of iD Fresh Food, understood the importance of ethics as a child. Today, it is the foundation of his business ideology.

For PC Musthafa, CEO, iD Fresh Food, it’s all about values — it’s a non-negotiable trait for him when it comes to business. And he learnt one of the key lessons about ethics during his childhood, when he was cheated out of his wages. At an event in Mumbai, Musthafa said, “I tried to find ways to make money multiple times. During my Christmas holidays, a friend and I got a job at a ginger farm. The job was to uproot the ginger, clean off the mud and leaves, and then pack it. It was backbreaking work, but I did it because I had to earn money for my studies and family.”

Musthafa and his friend were promised Rs 50 for five days of work — that’s Rs 10 per day. “But when the farm owner had to pay us, he gave Rs 50 to my friend and Rs 40 to me,” Musthafa said.


When the young Musthafa asked why, the farm owner told him that his work was not up to the mark. “I cried and walked out. I told him I didn’t want the money. I didn’t take it,” he said.

The entrepreneur credits this incident with influencing him the most when it comes to his business ideology. “Apart from focussing on my work, it taught me that you should never cheat anyone. Never take away something from someone when you don’t have the right,” he said.

Musthafa, who launched his food products company in 2006 with his cousins out of a kitchen, said that working during his childhood taught him a lot. In fact, he considers iD Fresh Food as his third business. “My first business was when I was 10. During the holidays, I would run a sweet shop in my village. I would borrow money from my uncle and walk to the market, which was a few kilometres away. I would bring back the chocolates and sell them to others.”