Kitchen Entrepreneurs' Association Wants Free Nutritious Meals Programme to Continue for 25 Years

The Association of Free Nutritious Meals Kitchen Entrepreneurs and Managers (APPMBGI) wants the free nutritious meals programme to continue for decades to come. APPMBGI General Chairman Abdul Rivai stated that one of the association’s goals is to encourage the MBG programme not to run only during a single term of government. “This is our struggle as an association to ensure that MBG remains sustainable, not just during one leadership period, but to have the programme run for 25 years ahead,” he said on the sidelines of the APPMBGI National Summit held at the APPMBGI Head Office in Jakarta on Saturday, 25 April 2026. Despite aspirations to stop MBG often being noisy on social media, Abdul believes that the facts on the ground show otherwise. He claims that President Prabowo Subianto’s priority programme is still very much hoped for by the wider public. “Especially the underprivileged community and those who truly need additional nutritional fulfilment,” he said. Therefore, the association is pushing for the MBG programme not to run only during one government term. Abdul argues that the sustainability of the programme is key to making its impact felt, particularly in reducing stunting rates and improving public nutrition quality. “If MBG can run for 25 years ahead, the results can only then be felt, including in addressing the stunting issue,” he stated. Furthermore, Abdul conveyed that APPMBGI is a forum for MBG kitchen entrepreneurs who will play a role in ensuring food safety standards in the implementation of MBG. The association also serves to facilitate the smooth supply chain of food ingredients for this programme. “We provide support so that the supply chain can be well supported. This association brings together entrepreneurs, suppliers, and kitchen managers, both corporate partners and cooperatives,” he said. Today, more than 2,000 owners of nutritional fulfilment service units (SPPG) gathered at the APPMBGI head 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.