Nescafe UTM emerged as the overall first runner-up place and a bonus challenge winner in the National Nescafe Youth Entrepreneurship Programme (NYEP) 2019 on 9 December 2019 in Kuala Lumpur.
Nescafe UTM is a student-based entrepreneurial entity fully run by students, guided and supported by UTM Centre for Student Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship (UTM XCITE). UTM XCITE is an entrepreneurship centre in UTM that helps young aspiring student entrepreneurs to achieve their goals and dreams. The team managed the entire business operations, including kiosk services, human resources management, financial management, marketing and sales strategies.
After operating for a year with a new team, the team won the overall first runner-up in the Superb Star and Bonus Challenge in the Nescafe Youth Entrepreneurship Programme, bringing back cash prize of RM14,000 in total as a reward for their effort.
This team was led by Chin Chia Yuan (Azman Hashim International Business School), Eileen Khiu Xin Ying (Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying) as finance controller, Gan Choon Fei (Faculty of Science) as head of kiosk department, Wong Jia Min and Kuy Chuang Jack (School of Chemical and Energy Engineering) as head of marketing and sales departments respectively, together with executives from kiosk department Janet Wong Min Ying (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities) and Teh Yi Hui (Faculty of Science), marketing department, Mohamad Rusydi Bin Abd Rahman (School of Mechanical Engineering), and sales department Angelina Wong Shi Yan (Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying) and Muhammad Daniel bin Zakaria (School of Civil Engineering).
The award ceremony was held at Glasshouse Seputeh, Kuala Lumpur, where top 10 universities were invited to attend. Before the award ceremony, there was a Bonus Challenge
Round where students have to pitch idea of a new innovative drink invention to Nescafe while showcasing the preparation of prototypes, packaging design and marketing engagement initiatives. Nescafe UTM was inspired by the strong bonds between three races in Malaysia, thus creating a Nescafe Three Layer Latte Caramel with the well blend of three layers of coffee, creamer and wheatgrass juice. This drink stood out and won this bonus challenge thus it is going to be launched soon by Nescafe in the coming NYEP 2020.
“We’re delighted and thankful that our efforts have paid off as it was really breaking our limits and forced us to grow and expand beyond our capabilities. Not to forget a big shout out
to our customers inside and outside of UTM as we can never go this far without the support from all of you! Thank you for your continuous support, for you are the direct reason for our success, as we are truly humbled and honored.”, mentioned Chin.
Associate Professor Dr Ramesh Zaidi Rozan, UTM XCITE Director stated that, “Our students are very talented, however they should be guided towards becoming entrepreneurial both in their mindset and heart set. This is part of UTM mission to develop Life Ready Graduates.”
NYEP is an entrepreneurship programme under Nestle that focuses on university students to experience real-world business by running a fully equipped Nescafe kiosk business at their respective universities with all equipment and training provided by Nestle.
