Tadulako University academics help small businesses develop moringa-leaf biscuits
Palu (ANTARA) – Academics from Tadulako University (Untad) in Palu are supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in developing biscuits made with moringa leaves.
“The community service programme aims to develop moringa-based biscuit varieties that are nutritious and appeal to consumers. It also seeks to strengthen the partner’s business management capacity and digital marketing in order to expand its market reach,” Dafina Howara, head of the Untad community service team, said in a statement received in Palu on Friday.
She said one of the MSMEs receiving support was Dapur Kanina. The home-based business uses moringa leaves in its biscuits, but faces constraints in product innovation, packaging and digital marketing, which have affected its competitiveness.
The programme team is led by Dafina Howara, with Lien Damayanti, Shintami Rouwelyvia Malik and Chitra Anggriani Salingkat as members.
The programme uses a participatory approach, involving the business in needs analysis, product development, sensory testing, production standardisation, and the preparation of packaging and promotional concepts.
As part of the work, the team and its partner made moringa biscuits in three flavours: original, cheese and chocolate.
In addition to product development, the team is helping prepare standard operating procedures (SOPs) for production, basic bookkeeping and promotional materials for social media, including Instagram and TikTok.
The effort is intended to help the partner build a stronger product identity and improve business management, enabling production and marketing to be planned more effectively.
“Based on our initial assessment, Dapur Kanina has so far produced biscuits mainly ahead of festive holidays or in response to customer orders,” Dafina said.
This is partly due to limited equipment, which constrains production capacity, while inconsistent promotion has kept the products from becoming widely known.
The use of moringa leaves is expected to give the products a distinctive identity while offering a snack made with local food ingredients.
However, the nutritional content and health benefits of the biscuits developed through the programme have not been specifically tested. Any claims about their nutritional value or health benefits therefore require further testing.
“The next stages include testing consumer acceptance, standardising the recipes, monitoring the implementation of the SOPs and bookkeeping, and evaluating promotional activities,” she said.
The team also plans to develop other products, such as moringa cheese sago biscuits and moringa cake, to broaden the range available to consumers.
The programme’s intended outputs include innovative moringa-leaf biscuits, production SOPs, packaging and branding designs, stronger marketing through digital platforms, and academic publications.
With this support, Dapur Kanina is expected to raise productivity, maintain consistent product quality and expand its market sustainably by making use of local resources.
Further evaluation will be needed to establish consumer acceptance of the new varieties and assess the effectiveness of the production standards and digital marketing strategies put in place.