During BMPA’s PS 24 summit, PC Musthafa, also known as India’s batter king, shared the evolution of iD Fresh Food and the company’s commitment to innovation in the food packaging industry. He said his company got “huge value out of packaging from day one” This was from its first product, idli and dosa batter. 

Today, the competition for the ready-to-eat market is fierce, and is driven by players like MTR, McCain, Bikanervala, ITC, and Nestlé, a company like iD has carved a niche. A Statista study says the ready-to-eat meals market is expected to be USD 72.21-billion in 2024 and poised to notch up revenue by 2028 at a CAGR of 9.23%. 

Musthafa shared how iD stood out on the shelf and how “the packaging brain cells” spurred revenue for the company. Today, iD Fresh Food products are available on important platforms such as Amazon Pantry, Bigbasket, Blinkit.

He shared how the boat-shaped batter pack deployed a zip seal and a large stand-up base. The packaging is sealed to prevent air and moisture from compromising the integrity of the batter. Its innovative packaging design won iD the accolade of Indiastar 2015, presented by the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) plus the Big Bang Awards 2014.

For newbies and weekend cooks, it is a daunting task to make “the perfect hole” in a medu vada - a popular Indian breakfast choice. Hence, the iD team developed a tactile stand-up pouch which enables the batter to be dispensed directly from the pouch. And so, the mouth of the pouch would produce the desired hole and serve as a dispensing tool.

Musthafa shed light on another innovative concept iD came up with for ‘kaapi’ lovers. Besides making the filter coffee available in sachets, the iD idea was a tumbler design to provide a nostalgic old-world feeling to the package.

As part of the sustainability drive, two of iD’s packages are plastic-free: iD Smart Sip Tender Coconut and iD Grated Coconut in a Coconut. Musthafa said both innovations are a testament to the team’s commitment towards its dream of switching to eco-friendly plastic-free packaging for all its products. 

Normally, parathas are round-shaped, however, iD introduced triangular packs for its homestyle whole wheat paratha. The brand was successful in creating an impact with a unique shape. In essence, the shape of packaging plays a vital role in shaping consumer perceptions and influencing purchasing decisions.

Finally, Musthafa spoke about iD’s Butter Stick. The innovation avoids struggling with butter knives at breakfast. It allows a better way to butter the bread by “twist and spread”.

A native of Wayanad (Kerala), PC Musthafa, founder and CEO of iD Fresh Food is an inspiration. He began his journey with an investment of Rs 25,000. Today, he helms a Rs 4,000-crore business empire, and has been featured on the cover of Forbes India. But it was not always so. Once he was a student who dropped out of school, a son who helped his father in daily labour, an alumnus who made his college proud. Plus an entrepreneur who paved his way to the top while chasing a dream. Today, iD Fresh is in the forefront of packaging innovation.