Diversifying Virgin Coconut Oil into Solid Soap with Betel and Zodia Extracts in Skow Mabo

The Usaha Cemerlang group in Skow Mabo produced virgin coconut oil (VCO), but product turnover and diversification remained limited. This community-engagement program aimed to strengthen the group's capacity to produce and market solid VCO soap containing betel and zodia leaf extracts. The program comprised problem identification, safety orientation, hands-on production, molding, 24-hour demolding, a minimum four-week curing period, packaging, marketing, and evaluation. Ten members participated in activities on 4 and 12 June 2026, followed by monitoring on 18 August 2026. Achievement was assessed through direct observation, production records, laboratory testing at Universitas Cenderawasih, and sales monitoring. The cured soap had a pH of 9 and free alkali of 0.07%, below the 0.1% maximum cited in SNI 3532:2021. One production cycle yielded 32 bars in 30 minutes with two workers; seven cycles produced a theoretical 224 bars, so a conservative capacity of 200 bars per five-hour working session was adopted. Production cost was IDR7,000 and selling price IDR13,000 per bar, giving a gross margin of IDR6,000 per bar. The first order of 12 bars sold out, followed by recurring 12-bar orders every one to two weeks at one outlet. The program established a sequential production-to-market workflow and produced measurable technical and economic outcomes, although longer sales records and broader product-safety testing remain necessary.