Rector Of Undar Jombang Dr Amir Maliki Abitolkha MAg (left) receives vendel from Herdayanto Sulistyo Putro SSi MSi (right) during training on making and marketing special yogurt of Wonosalam

ITS Campus, ITS News – The abundance of high quality natural resources in Wonosalam Subdistrict, Jombang requires optimal management in order to get maximum results. This inspired the Community Service Team (Abmas) lecturers and students of Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) to conduct training in natural resource management and marketing of Wonosalam’s specialty products to the wider community.

Herdayanto Sulistyo Putro SSi MSi, one of the team of lecturers revealed that in Carangwulung Village, Wonosalam District itself there are about 50 dairy farmers. Fresh milk from each farmer in the village can reach 15 liters a day. As a result of not being durable, fresh milk that has been milked should be sold directly to the dairy and ice cream companies that are there.

Seeing this, Herdayanto and his Abmas team proposed the manufacture of yogurt products directly from the farmers’ fresh milk in order to increase resilience, as well as increase the selling value and nutrition. He said, actually this village has previously tried to process cow’s milk from its dairy to make yogurt.

(from left) Sri Fatmawati SSi Msc PhD, Herdayanto Sulistyo Putro SSi MSi, Secretary of Carangwulung Village, and Prof Dr Dra Fahimah Martak MSi during halal certification process training

But they only make yogurt, while Wonosalam is quite famous also because of its very good durian fruit. Recently also their coffee has been proven quality. “Therefore, we propose that they make wonosalam yogurt with durian and coffee flavorings. We named this yogurt product Wonoyo,” explained abmas ITS team leader.

For the sake of eficiency, small groups are formed accompanied by lecturers and students from ITS who will focus on certain aspects. This group is the production team, administration team, field team, marketing team, and halal analysis and review team.

Before the training was held to the residents of Carangwulung Village, the production team had already formulated the yogurt to be made. Its team of students and lecturers find out the exact composition between the essence of taste, acidity level, viscosity, and the right temperature so that the fermentation process can be optimal.

One of the residents of Carangwulung Village, Wonosalam, Jombang tried to make yogurt proposed by Its Abmas Team

On August 25, Herdayanto and his team held a training in making Yogurt typical of Wonosalam as well as strategies in marketing. The training, which took place at The University of Darul ‘Ulum (Undar) Jombang, was conducted in a hybrid way, where some lecturers and ITS students were present in person, while some lecturers who had the need could follow online from Surabaya.

“This time we are working with Undar because in Wonosalam there is no internet network so it is difficult to conduct online training with other lecturers,” said this lecturer of ITS Chemistry Department.

Exactly one month later, the training was held again on September 25. This training focuses on how the registration requirements and process to get Halal Guarantee Certification (SJH). Herdayanto admitted that the process to obtain SJH is quite long and complicated. “Therefore, we want to encourage the villagers and do coaching so that they can get this SJH,” he explained.

During the month running, there are several problems that can hinder the production and sales process. The first is due to the place that has an average cold temperature, the fermentation process of yogurt was hampered. Abmas ITS team also provides a solution in the form of heating lamp installation that can keep the temperature of the fermentation place at the optimal temperature of 25 to 30 degrees Celsius.

The second is the hampering of the marketing process because there are not many Carangwulung villagers who have gadgets. Meanwhile, the branding and sales of Wonoyo focused on digital marketing. “On this issue, we are still trying to be resolved. Because the problem is also there even though they have gadgets, they do not have a stable signal,” said the graduate of Chemistry Departmen Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).

Lastly, there is still no SJH in Wonoyo products, so it cannot be widely marketed. ITS itself helps by conducting guidance and assistance from existing programs at its Halal Study Center.

Yogurt making and marketing training with carangwulung villagers at Darul ‘Ulum Jombang University

Although he has not yet obtained SJH, Wonoyo himself has started to be sold in cooperation with Undar Cooperative. Wonoyo along with other products produced by Wonosalam began to be displayed in Undar Cooperative and can already be bought by people. “The proceeds of this sale will be used to support them in the management to obtain this SJH, so that the products can be sold widely,” said Herdayanto.

Seeing the spirit of Wonosalam residents towards the program proposed by abmas ITS team, Herdayanto hoped that after getting SJH they could develop their products to be more varied. After the MSMEs have been smooth, it is expected to develop other products through this MSME umbrella. “The products can be from milk, durian, and coffee that are there. But for now we finish what we have first,” he concluded.

(ri/Anjani/ITS Public Relation Officer)

Wonosalam’s signature yogurt products from local farmers’ dairy milk that is ready to be marketed