Fern Leaf Extract Yoghurt Innovation Takes UMS's YOGREEN to KMI Expo XVII 2026

The YOGREEN team from Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) has once again earned recognition, passing selection as a business group under the Student Entrepreneurship Development Program (P2MW) to take part in KMI Expo XVII 2026. This achievement stands as proof of the continued progress of UMS student innovation in developing research based functional food products that make use of local material potential.

YOGREEN Team Leader Rizqy Habibi expressed gratitude for the opportunity. According to him, passing selection for the second time isn't just an achievement in itself, but also an indicator that the product being developed keeps improving.

"We're very grateful and proud that YOGREEN has once again earned the chance to pass selection for KMI Expo XVII 2026. For us, this isn't just about qualifying again, it's also proof that YOGREEN keeps developing further compared to the year before," said the UMS Faculty of Dentistry (FKG) student, on Saturday (19/9/2026).

Rizqy explained that YOGREEN is a functional yoghurt innovation based on fern leaf extract, developed by UMS FKG students. The product combines research findings, food innovation, and entrepreneurship to produce a value added product, while also opening up opportunities to make use of local materials and empower farmers as raw material suppliers.

YOGREEN began with research into the use of fern leaves as a functional food ingredient. The team identified the potential of bioactive compounds in fern leaves as the basis for product development, then processed the extract into yoghurt.

"We want this innovation to have a real impact on the community, one way being by involving local farmers as raw material suppliers, so it can help increase the economic value of local agricultural produce," he explained.

On the product side, YOGREEN is developed by combining fern leaf extract, stevia, and a probiotic culture. Rizqy said the product currently comes in several flavor options: original, honey, and strawberry. YOGREEN's development has also gone through various stages of testing and validation, from organoleptic testing, sugar content, phytochemical analysis, and particle size analysis (PSA), through to developing its nutritional information.

Beyond the research side, the team then carried out market validation involving 120 respondents to gauge consumer acceptance. Those results became the basis for further development in product, packaging, marketing, legal compliance, and business model.

"The process doesn't stop at research, we keep developing it further into a product that's actually ready to be sold," Rizqy said.

That progress is also visible on the marketing side. After receiving P2MW mentoring, YOGREEN began strengthening its B2C strategy, developing its B2B market, and exploring partnerships with pharmacy partners. As of the latest update, YOGREEN has sold 500 units.

During development, the team faced a challenge in the form of inconsistent fern leaf supply, affected by seasonal conditions. That challenge pushed the team to build a more sustainable supply chain.

"On top of that, we also need to balance our time between developing the business and keeping up with our academic work," he said.

On the P2MW side, supervising lecturer Dr. drg. Ana Riolina, M.P.H., provided mentoring and evaluation on aspects including market validation, marketing, finance, legal compliance, and business model development.

"We want to show up not just to compete, but also to bring the results of YOGREEN's progress and give our best for UMS," Rizqy said.

He hopes YOGREEN can keep growing, with an increasingly wider market and network of partnerships, while continuing to make a real impact through the use of local materials and the involvement of local farmers.

YOGREEN's achievement at the national level is also part of an ongoing development process. After successfully passing KMI Expo XVI in 2025 and advancing to the KMI Award 2025 stage, the YOGREEN team has now earned another opportunity to take part in KMI Expo XVII 2026 through P2MW growth stage mentoring.

KMI Expo XVII 2026 will give the YOGREEN team a chance to introduce their innovation, expand their network, get feedback from consumers and stakeholders, and open up partnership opportunities. The event is scheduled to take place from 29 September to 1 October 2026 at Universitas Jenderal Soedirman (Unsoed), Purwokerto.

The YOGREEN team consists of Rizqy Habibi, Muhammad Luqman Khakim, Faiz Azka, and Muhammad Yusrifar Buana Fajrin from the Dentistry Study Program, along with Nabil Anugrah Pasha from the Digital Business Study Program, with Dr. drg. Ana Riolina, M.PH. as their supervising lecturer.

Writer: Yusuf Alvian

Editor: Maysali Sudarwati

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid