JOHOR BARU: What started as a viral video from the Philippines has become a lifeline for 29-year-old Mohamad Afifi Narudin, a former food and beverage worker who now runs a thriving drink stall selling “magic water”.
Inspired by his wife who stumbled upon the drink on TikTok, Afifi put his experience to work, spending four days experimenting with recipes.
His version of “magic water” is a vibrant mix of clear jelly, fruit flavours, plain water and ice. The drink is now a crowd-puller at his stall near Masjid Taman Perling.
“After my wife showed me the video, she told me to try making it myself and sell it.
“With my experience working in a restaurant, I did my research for about four days before finding the right recipe to meet the taste buds of Malaysians,” he said when met at his stall here on Saturday.
Mohamad Afifi added that through promotion on social media and word of mouth, he has been selling an average of 80 to 200 cups a day, especially with the current sweltering heat driving customers in search of something cool and refreshing.
The father of four said he started to sell the drink full-time since the Ramadan fasting month.
Mohamad Afifi added that through his TikTok account, he regularly posts videos of his drinks and does live shows, which has attracted more than 3,000 followers.
He said his stall is open daily from 2pm until late evening, except on Fridays.
It draws a diverse crowd, not just locals from around Johor Baru, but even visitors from other states.
“A few days ago, a tourist from the Philippines came and tried the drink.
“She told me it tasted just like the ones sold in Manila,” Mohamad Afifi said.
“That made me happy as I have never been to the Philippines, let alone taste the real magic water, so to hear that was something special.”
Mohamad Afifi said he is grateful to his wife, who gave him the encouragement to start his little business.
“What started as an idea from a short video has now become my main livelihood,” he said.
