Empowerment of MomChep Kitchen MSMEs through JASERKU Herbal Drink Innovation and Marketing Digitalization in the Minasa Upa Region

This community service activity was carried out by lecturers at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) as a concrete form of implementing the Tridharma of Higher Education, especially in the field of community service. Through this program, lecturers and students are directly involved in empowering local MSMEs and providing innovative solutions based on pharmaceutical science.

The UMI Pharmacy lecturer service team (https://farmasi.umi.ac.id/) chaired by Zainal Abidin, with team members Hj. Faradiba and Muzakkir Baits introduced the manufacture of health drinks, which contain natural ingredients, such as ginger, lemongrass and turmeric, which so far have only been used for kitchen spices, so the service team presented an innovation in the form of an instant herbal drink made from JASERKU (Ginger, Lemongrass, Turmeric). This spice has benefits as an antioxidant, stamina enhancer, pain reliever and anti-inflammatory.

This program collaborates with the Momchep Kitchen UMKM which is chaired by Mrs. Faradillah and consists of housewives in Minasa Upa Village. Most of the members are housewives who want to improve the family economy through independent business. Momchep Kitchen MSMEs have produced various products such as pastries, wet cakes and grass jelly drinks.

Public knowledge about processing spices into health products with longer shelf life, hygienic and attractive packaging, and digital marketing is still limited. Through this training, partners are empowered to develop JASERKU Herbal Drinks as ready-to-drink products that are practical, healthy and have high selling value.

Jaserku Drink product innovation is expected to:

• Support government programs in the field of public health
• Become a superior product and typical souvenir of Momchep Kitchen MSMEs
• Increasing the economic independence and welfare of MSME members

The service of UMI Pharmacy Lecturers is funded by the UMI Community Service Institute (LPkM-UMI) https://umi.ac.id/. Participants were very enthusiastic about this activity with a number of questions from the women participating in the service, regarding the making of JASERKU Herbal Health Drinks.

This service activity, apart from providing direct benefits to the community, this activity also supports the achievement of Key Performance Indicators (IKU) for higher education, where students and lecturers gain experience working outside campus, and the results of lecturers' work can be used directly by the community.