Cajuputs® Candy, an Innovation from IPB University Professor Ready to Enter Five-Star Hotels

Cajuputs Candy, an eucalyptus candy innovation from IPB University, is now ready to enter star-rated hotels. This product, created by Prof Hanny Wijaya, a professor at IPB University, is a concrete example of how campus inventions can reach the premium market while providing health benefits to the community.

Prof Hanny emphasized that the long journey of an invention toward innovation is no easy feat. “It is not easy for researchers to bring their inventions to the public without the joint support of industry, government, and universities,” she said.

She revealed this during a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on “Functional Foods: Trends in Food Product Innovation Development for Industry and Startups/SMEs” organized by IPB University’s Science Techno Park (STP) and Foodreview at the Startup Center Building, IPB Taman Kencana Campus (10/13).

Prof Erika Budiarti Laconi, Head of the IPB University Science and Technology Area Institute (LKST), emphasized the importance of the role of universities in bridging innovation and industry. “Our job is to find the ‘right match’ for researchers’ innovations. How can patented research results be collaborated with large companies so that they truly benefit society,” she said.

“One example of innovation that has been introduced to the community is Cajuputs Candy. Now Cajuputs Candy will be available at Hotel Borobudur,” said Prof Erika.

She said that STP IPB University continues to play a role as a center for innovation development, providing food production line facilities such as bottled water (AMDK), bakery, pastry, biscuits, spray dryers, and quality testing laboratories. With these facilities, IPB University is ready to strengthen the functional food industry while encouraging the growth of startups and MSMEs.

Apart from Cajuputs Candy, Prof. Hanny’s other innovation is Glucodiab, a functional herbal drink based on cat’s whisker extract. This product has collaborated with PT Soho Global Health Tbk. Prof Hanny discovered high antioxidant content in cat’s whisker plants, which have great potential for maintaining health.

Despite the success of two widely distributed products, Prof Hanny acknowledges that the biggest challenge arises when products start receiving large-scale demand. “I share this to encourage researchers not to give up easily,” he emphasized. For the Cajuputs Candy innovation, he received an award from the Directorate General of Agro Industry, Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia, at the Aromatika Indofest 2025 event.

In this forum, Suseno Hadi Purnomo from Foodreview explained that the functional food trend continues to grow significantly. The figure has reached 324 billion dollars and is predicted to rise to 348 billion dollars by 2028. “This is a very serious business,” he explained.

The presence of innovations such as Cajuputs Candy and Glucodiab underscores IPB University’s role in providing food-based health solutions. More than just products, these innovations demonstrate that collaboration between universities, industry, and government can yield breakthroughs that have a real impact on society while strengthening Indonesia’s position in the global functional food industry. (IAAS/Aly)