Students of the Food Technology Study Program at Institut Teknologi Sumatera (ITERA) held a Food Innovation Bazaar that aimed to inspire students to increase their creativity in innovating food. The bazaar event was included in the series of events of the FTI Expo held on the first day of the expo on 30 November 2023. This activity, apart from being one of the assessment series for students, was also a forum for creating new ideas that could produce high-quality food products. The theme of this event was “Cultivate Creativity for High-Quality Food Products,” reflecting the spirit of encouraging innovation in the food industry for a better Indonesia. This event was a graduation requirement of the Food Product Innovation and Business course.
Mr. M. Rizky Ramanda, S.T.P., M.T.P., who was a Food Technology Lecturer, invited all participants to enjoy the diversity of food produced from various raw materials, such as cassava and others. He stated that this event was not only a platform to develop creativity, but also an assessment for the fifth-semester students who participated in filling this Food Innovation Bazaar tenant. Thus, this event was not only an exhibition, but also a means of evaluation to assess the abilities and potential of Food Technology students.
Mrs. Amalia Wahyuningtyas, who was the coordinator of the Food Technology Study Program, also welcomed this activity and hoped that this activity would become a routine activity every year.
“This bazaar activity has started since 2022. This activity involves Food Technology Study Program students from various cohorts, so it can also be assessed as an effort to strengthen the relationship between food technology students. The hope is that students will not be afraid to take a step to become an entrepreneur because they have taken the first step at this bazaar,” said Mrs. Amalia Wahyuningtyas.
The Food Innovation Bazaar was held from 8 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon, providing enough time for visitors to explore and enjoy various food innovations that were offered. This event was visited by approximately 1,500 visitors. Food Technology students who were in their fifth semester participated by selling food and beverages produced from their own innovations. Various unique products produced from raw materials such as cocoa, cassava, and plant-based protein were displayed and sold at various stands. With this bazaar, new innovations will emerge that can bring positive changes in the Indonesian food industry. With the spirit of creativity and dedication that continues to burn, the Food Innovation Bazaar event became a promising initial step in creating a more colorful and quality food future for Indonesia (NRB/MNU).
