Bappisus Head Reveals Findings of Many Free Nutritious Meals Kitchens Cutting Portions

Head of the Special Development Control and Investigation Agency (Bappisus), Aris Marsudiyanto, admitted to finding many free nutritious meals (MBG) kitchens frequently serving menus that do not match the portions set by the National Nutrition Agency. Aris stated that the portion reductions in MBG discovered by Bappisus include reductions in the size of side dishes. For example, chicken that should be cut into eight pieces is instead divided into 20 pieces, making the size smaller. “And catfish, it should be a certain gram size, but this is just tiny and shrivelled,” said Aris while speaking at the Association of Free Nutritious Meals Entrepreneurs and Managers (APPMBGI) National Summit in East Jakarta on Saturday, 25 April 2026. To more than 2,000 MBG kitchen entrepreneurs present, Aris asked them not to think only about profits. He emphasised that the MBG programme is aimed at fulfilling children’s nutrition so that Indonesia’s human resources can improve. Therefore, Aris requested that the menus served must meet the portions set by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), namely Rp 8,000 for toddlers up to grade 3 primary school, and Rp 10,000 for larger beneficiaries or from grade 4 primary school to high school. Aris declined to reveal in detail the number of kitchens that frequently cut MBG portions. He only said that the National Nutrition Agency has temporarily closed 1,700 kitchens, some of which were due to menus produced by those kitchens not meeting standards. “Well, if I’m not mistaken, there are about 1,700 nutrition fulfilment service units (SPPG) that have been suspended by BGN for improvement. This is a form of BGN’s seriousness in managing SPPG with quality, in line with the established standard specifications,” said Aris Marsudiyanto to reporters when asked about the number of violations found by Bappisus after the event. Today, more than 2,000 owners of nutrition fulfilment service units (SPPG) gathered at the APPMBGI Central Office in East Jakarta. This agenda also featured officials and ministers from the Merah Putih Cabinet as speakers. Some of them include Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, Head of the National Nutrition Agency Dadan Hindayana, Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency Arif Satria, and Deputy Minister of Health Benjamin Paulus Oktavianus.