USU PUBLIC RELATIONS – Students from Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) have achieved national recognition by winning second place in the National-Level Business Creation Competition at BMNC 2026 (Indonesia Business Management Network Competition). The competition was held at Universitas Airlangga in Surabaya on Tuesday (October 20, 2026).

USU sent three delegates to the competition:

• Dira Riyani (Undergraduate Management Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Business) served as Team Leader, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), and Chief Operating Officer (COO).
• Arya Dwi Ardhana Wibowo (Applied Undergraduate Statistics Study Program, Faculty of Vocational Studies) served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
• Atiqa Zhakira Syahrul (Undergraduate Accounting Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Business, USU) served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

During the development of their ANDALE COFFEE business idea, the team received guidance from Saddam Husein Nasution, M.Si., and Muhammad Arif Lubis, S.E., M.Si. Their guidance helped the team refine its ideas, strengthen its business concept, and further develop its proposal into a more structured plan with potential for future development.

Under the business name ANDALE COFFEE, the team has introduced a coffee product that combines the rich flavor of coffee with the distinctive characteristics of andaliman, a spice that represents the local identity of North Sumatra. The product offers not only a unique taste but also highlights the cultural stories and values of its region of origin.

Interdisciplinary collaboration has been one of the team's key strengths in developing an innovative, structured, and sustainable business idea. Through the competition, the team had the opportunity to present its business concept, assess the feasibility of its proposed idea, and broaden its perspectives through exchanges of ideas and interactions with other participants.

Harnessing Local Potential through Product Innovation and Digital Technology

Coffee is a widely consumed product with a broad market and has become part of many people's lifestyles. Recognizing this opportunity, the ANDALE COFFEE team sought to introduce an innovation by combining coffee with the distinctive characteristics of andaliman, a spice closely associated with North Sumatran cuisine.

“We saw an opportunity to incorporate the distinctive characteristics of andaliman into a coffee product, creating an appealing point of differentiation,” explained Arya, one of the team members.

Through an innovation titled “Andale Coffee: North Sumatran Coffee Innovation Based on Andaliman with Digital Integration to Expand the Market for Local Products,” the team aims to demonstrate how local resources can be developed into innovative business products that meet contemporary market needs without losing their cultural value. This combination is expected to produce a unique flavor while adding value to a local resource that remains relatively underexplored in the coffee industry.

Beyond product development, ANDALE COFFEE also aims to leverage digital technology as part of its business strategy, from establishing and promoting its product identity to expanding its marketing reach and connecting with a broader consumer base.

Challenges in Developing ANDALE COFFEE

In developing ANDALE COFFEE, the team faced the challenge of transforming local potential into a business innovation that is not only distinctive but also feasible, commercially viable, and competitive.

Arya explained that combining coffee with andaliman required careful consideration of various aspects, ranging from the characteristics of the raw materials and potential consumer acceptance to product differentiation and appropriate marketing strategies.

“Combining coffee with andaliman requires consideration of various aspects, from the characteristics of the raw materials and consumer acceptance to product differentiation and the right marketing strategy,” he said.

Another challenge was integrating perspectives from three different academic disciplines. Differences in viewpoints and approaches encouraged the team members to communicate and engage in intensive discussions to develop an integrated business concept. Through this process, the team learned that innovation requires more than an appealing idea; it must also be supported by research, thorough planning, and the ability to adapt products to market needs. These challenges became part of the team's learning process in strengthening the ANDALE COFFEE concept and its potential for sustainable development.

Developing ANDALE COFFEE to Support the Local Economy

The team hopes that ANDALE COFFEE will not remain merely an idea presented in a competition but will continue to develop into a business that delivers tangible benefits to the community. The innovation is expected to increase the added value of North Sumatra's local commodities while introducing the distinctive characteristics of andaliman to a wider market.

Arya explained that, in the long term, the development of ANDALE COFFEE is also expected to create opportunities for collaboration with farmers, raw material suppliers, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and other stakeholders involved in its business value chain.

“We hope Andale Coffee can contribute to local economic growth while strengthening the identity of North Sumatra's distinctive local products,” Arya said.