AR Flavour Labs – Founder's Story
My name is Muhammad Nasir Rafiq, and I am an IT engineer by profession, someone with no formal background in food science, flavour chemistry, or culinary innovation.
Yet during a difficult period in my life, an unexpected journey began, one that would eventually lead to the creation of AR Flavour Labs.
A Memory That Stayed With Me
My late father had a unique spice mix he would sprinkle on almost every dish he ate. It had an aroma unlike anything found in packaged blends, warm, nostalgic, and unmistakably ours.
When he passed away in 2013, that aroma disappeared from my life. For years, the memory of that flavour stayed with me. Nothing on store shelves captured it; none had that soul.
During the crisis, I realised just how deeply I had been missing that aroma, not just the taste but the comfort, connection, and memory attached to it.
That longing pushed me into unfamiliar territory.
I began asking my family questions, gathering fragments of what the mix might have been. With no clear recipe, I started roasting and blending spices in my kitchen. Many attempts failed. But then, finally, one batch brought back the exact aroma I thought I had lost forever.
That moment changed everything.
From One Memory to a Bigger Realisation
When I shared my excitement with someone close to me, I was dismissed and told it wasn’t anything special. But I knew what I had recreated wasn’t ordinary.
I realised something deeper:
Some of the world’s most meaningful flavours have never been recreated scientifically, respectfully, or authentically. And that gap represented opportunity, not just for me, but for millions of flavour lovers.
How Crisis Became Creativity
As I tried to rebuild stability in my life, I explored different business ideas, searching for something meaningful and worth pursuing.
One day, after someone close to me dismissed the flavour I had recreated, I felt an unexpected motivation to take it further, at first almost playfully, simply to prove that the taste and aroma did hold value.
What started as a light-hearted reaction quickly grew into curiosity, and then into serious exploration.
“If this flavour means so much to me, why shouldn’t the world experience it too?”
That simple shift in mindset opened the door. I began exploring feasibility, researching techniques, and questioning why certain heritage flavours had never been captured properly. One idea led to another, and soon I realised I was stepping into territory no major company seemed to be exploring.
Curiosity Became Innovation
I experimented at home. Some attempts worked; others failed completely, especially one component that clearly required scientific stability and precision far beyond what a basic kitchen setup could achieve.
Instead of giving up, I went deeper.
I studied flavour chemistry. I read research papers. I learned about aroma molecules, thermal reactions, smoke behaviour, and encapsulation, all from scratch.
Along the way, I realised:
This idea wasn’t limited to one cuisine.
It had global potential, from BBQ to everyday cooking, across cultures.
I wasn’t just recreating a flavour. I was moving towards something entirely new.
A Project I Cannot Fully Reveal Yet
Although this journey began with a simple spice mix, it has evolved far beyond that. Today, I am working on a flavour innovation that, as far as I can see, has not been attempted in this way before in the global food industry.
It has required science, engineering, experimentation, and countless hours of research. There have been breakthroughs and setbacks along the way, but the core concept has remained strong.
I’m deliberately not sharing the technical details publicly yet, both to prevent the idea from being copied, and because certain processes may be patentable once the R&D stage is complete.
What I can say is that this project has the potential to deliver an authentic flavour experience and convenience to certain foods in a way that hasn’t been achieved before.
Why I'm Doing This
Two reasons drive everything I do:
My Daughter
I want to build a future that is strong, meaningful, and full of pride. A legacy shaped by commitment, resilience, and never giving up. Whether this journey succeeds or fails, she will always know one thing:
Her father never stopped trying. If I fail, she will have a story of perseverance. If I succeed, she will inherit a legacy she can be proud of, a flavour that carries our history into the future.
My Love for Flavour
Food connects memory, culture, and emotion. I want to share that experience with the world without shortcuts, without artificial additives, and without compromising quality.
From One Kitchen to AR Flavour Labs
Today, AR Flavour Labs represents:
It began with one aroma. One childhood memory. One difficult moment that transformed into creativity. And one founder determined to turn tradition into innovation.