Universitas PGRI Madiun (UNIPMA) introduced an innovative product in the form of candied pamelo orange peel, ‘Melosweets,’ at the Indonesian Student Entrepreneurship (KMI) Expo Award 2024. The event took place at Halu Oleo University, Kendari, on 23-25 October 2024. Melosweets are sweets made from pamelo orange peels from Magetan, with the aim of turning orange peel waste into delicious and quality culinary products.

The name ‘Melosweets’ is taken from the word ‘melo’ which refers to the type of pamelo orange, and ‘sweets’ which describes the sweet flavour of these sweets. The business pioneered by UNIPMA students focuses on unique and sustainable culinary products, while supporting local farmers by utilising raw materials that are often overlooked. The product is expected to attract consumers while helping to reduce food waste and support sustainability.

The UNIPMA team that introduced Melosweets at the KMI Expo Award 2024 consisted of Algam Lajunanansyah (Group Leader), Yyunan Inan Octafi'istoh (Production Division), Bayu Saputra (Marketing Division), and Jini Ajeng Novitasari (Production Division). They were accompanied by Dr Elva Nuraina, SE, M.Si (UNIPMA Vice Rector for Division I), Arri Kurniawan, S.S., M.Pd (Head of BKM UNIPMA), Dr Farida Styaningrum, S.Pd., M.Pd. (Treasurer of BKM UNIPMA), and Dimas Setiawan, M.Kom (Supervising Lecturer).

Mr Dimas Setiawan, M.Kom, as the supervisor, gave full support to the Melosweets team from the beginning. He helped from the proposal to the funding selection process and participation in the KMI Expo. In addition, Mr Dimas Setiawan, M.Kom continued to encourage the students to remain persistent in every stage of development. ‘I really appreciate their hard work. Hopefully, I can continue to guide Information Systems students, so that in the future superior seeds will be born with more innovative and useful ideas,’ he said.

The KMI Expo this time also left a deep impression on the participants, including the UNIPMA team. Bayu Saputra, a member of the team, stated, ‘This Expo is truly extraordinary because the participants exhibited a variety of creative and innovative products. The high enthusiasm shows the great potential of the nation's young entrepreneurs, and the KMI Expo is an event to look forward to and strengthen relationships between stakeholders.’

UNIPMA hopes that this KMI Expo can be the start of similar activities on a larger scale in the future. Hopefully, this event can strengthen the network of cooperation between educational institutions, government, and economic actors, and develop the potential of the creative industry in Southeast Sulawesi and other regions.