Est. 1948 · Iowa State Fair
A Legacy Poured One Cup at a Time
Five generations. One family. Seventy-five years of fair food tradition.
Where It All Began
Nettie "Ma" Mulstay
In the summer of 1948, a determined woman named Nettie Mulstay — known to everyone as "Ma" — set up a lemonade stand at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. She had a simple idea: serve cold, fresh-squeezed lemonade to fairgoers on hot August days. What she couldn't have known was that she was planting the seed of a family institution that would outlast generations.
Ma Mulstay's lemonade wasn't just a drink — it was an experience. The shake-up method, the fresh lemons, the ice-cold cups handed over a wooden counter — fairgoers came back year after year. Word spread. Lines grew. And a tradition was born.
The Family Tree
Five Generations at the Fair
Nettie "Ma" Mulstay
Ma Mulstay founded the business with a single lemonade stand and an unshakeable belief that a cold drink could make a hot day at the fair feel like a gift. Her warmth, her recipes, and her love for the fair became the foundation everything else was built on.
The Mulstay-Braford Family
The second generation brought new energy and new ideas. Foot Long Hot dogs were added to the lineup — foot-long favorites that became a fair staple for decades. The family's presence at the fair grew deeper, their roots more permanent. Ma's children grew up working the stands — squeezing lemons, shaking cups, and learning the rhythms of fair season. The business grew, the stands multiplied, and the Mulstay name became synonymous with the Iowa State Fair experience.
The Mulstay-Brafford Family
Ma's grandchildren grew up working the stands — squeezing lemons, shaking cups, and learning the rhythms of fair season. The business grew, the stands multiplied, and the Mulstay and Brafford's name became synonymous with the Iowa State Fair experience.
Michael & Edward Brafford
Brothers Michael and Edward Brafford officially took over the business in 2022, stepping into roles they'd been preparing for their entire lives. They honored what Ma built while bringing fresh vision — launching Burrito Bobo in 2023 and reinventing the hot dog stand in 2024 with Jumbo Quarter Pound Chili Cheese Hot Dogs.
The Next Chapter
The fifth generation is already watching, learning, and growing up with the smell of lemonade and the sound of the fair in their bones. The tradition continues.
Today's Stewards
Michael & Edward Brafford
When Michael and Edward officially took the reins in 2022, they inherited more than a business — they inherited a responsibility to every customer who has ever stood in line for a Brafford's lemonade, every fairgoer who has made the walk to find their stand. They take that seriously. And they take it joyfully.
"We didn't just inherit a business. We inherited a relationship with every person who's ever come back to find us at the fair."
Key Moments
Milestones in the Making
Ma Mulstay opens her first lemonade stand at the Iowa State Fair
Foot-long hot dogs added — a fair staple for the next five decades
Brothers Michael & Edward Brafford officially take over as 4th generation owners
Burrito Bobo launches in a beautifully renovated concession stand
Tater Todd & Hot Doug's debuts with Jumbo Quarter Pound Chili Cheese Hot Dogs
Come Be Part of the Story
Every August, we're back at the Iowa State Fair — same family, same love, new flavors. Come find us.