MBA Limbupaniwala, Arif Hussain’s lemonade cart is considered an example of a small scale startup
MBA Limbupaniwala, Arif Hussain’s Lemonade Cart is an example of a small scale startup
Mohammad Arif Hussain is popularly known as MBA Limbupaniwala in Hyderabad. The reason is quite simple: soon after completing a course in business entrepreneurship, he decided to set up a car to sell lemon pain (Desi Lemonade) and “Is this what you want to do after a business administration course?” was greeted with comments. or ‘How do we tell people you sell lemonade on the street?’ He did not let her down; He saw this as an example of a startup and entrepreneurship, fulfilling the goal of his online course on business studies and entrepreneurship program.
Why did he name his stall as MBA Limbupaniwala? “MBA is a degree that makes you a Master of Business Administration. Since I wanted to be an example for small startup ventures, I called it MBA Limbupani (Combination of Lemon and Lemon).
He first invested in a motorable bag (cart) that holds all the ingredients for making lemonade. Their lemonade cart can be found in Basheerbagh, opposite Ohri’s restaurant. He had recently set up stalls at Jashn-e-Bazaar and opened those stalls which did brisk business.
“I decided to sell lemonade after doing market research on roadside local beverages. Many stalls sell lemonade or mint pain, but many people avoid it because of hygiene concerns.” Arif uses packaged water to make lemonade and serves it in 200ml disposable glasses.
MBA Limbupaniwala also sells some dramatic drinks. photo credit: Ramkrishna
Arif says that he used the whole of 2021 to make a plan. This involved looking at different business models. When he decided to sell lemonade on a cart, he wanted to think about the taste, the logo, the color and everything else that would be needed to get people to pay attention to his cart. “The most important part was making a delicious lemonade. I tried 37 recipes for lemonade and improved on seven,” says Arif. Arif started his business in February with just one flavor – Masala. As their clientele grew, they introduced other flavors.
MBA Limbupaniwala Basheerbagh has a lemonade stall by MD Arif Hussain. photo credit: Ramkrishna
“My friends have been very supportive. My friend Mohamed Wahid Hussain stands by and helps me with my lemonade business.”
With increasing popularity, Arif is invited to set up stalls at exhibitions and parties. “When requests like this come in, I just need to pack things up and move,” he smiles.