PENINSULA College’s Young Socialprenuer Group students are putting their knowledge and skills to use through the sale of mooncakes to raise student learning funds.

The group, led by president Tan Chuin Siang and consisting of students from accounting, business and logistics studies, is mentored by PKT Logistics Group chief executive officer and managing director Datuk Michael Tio, who owns the college.

Since Sept 12, more than 20 students have been actively promoting their special pineapple mooncakes of four flavours – green tea pineapple paste, white coffee pineapple paste, six coarse grains with pineapple chunk and Japanese Yuzu pineapple paste – at the Oval Concourse of 1 Utama Shopping Centre.

Tan said this year, students from campuses in Penang, Shah Alam and Klang will be selling 2,000 boxes of DMT’s Pineapple Mooncake, compared to only 800 last year.

Last year, students sold out their mooncakes online through the Peninsula Lighthouse Shop Facebook page. This year, they decided to expand their reach by setting up a physical kiosk at the mall, in addition to selling mooncakes to just friends, families and through the online platform.

Seed funds were given to the students to run their business.

Tan said there was much competition but students could learn how to find solutions to attract consumers to their booth.

He said students were involved in all aspects of the project, from deciding on mooncake flavours, designing the packaging and liaising with their partner, Leong Yin Pastry Sdn Bhd, to managing operations, logistics and marketing.

He said consumers had been supportive of their project.

“People are surprised that the mooncakes were curated by students, and sales have been encouraging,” he said, adding that nearly 80% of the mooncakes have been sold so far.

Tan said they would also be donating the profits to charity.

Part proceeds last year went towards the Klang Special School and National Kidney Foundation.

Tio said the idea of forming the group was to groom eager entrepreneurs in the college.

“The idea of creating pineapple mooncakes was that of the students. Every year, the students come up with projects to raise students learning fund as well as funds for charity.

“When there are corporate tours, the funds can be used so that all students can attend,” he said.

Tio added that the charity sale was a way to create awareness from young that business was not only about profitability but also involved responsibility towards society.

He said the project, a sustainable corporate social responsible programme, gave students a real-life experience from coming up with structure of sales, competing with other vendors and marketing their products to attracting buyers.

Bandar Utama City Centre Sdn Bhd general manager Patrick So said the mall was happy to provide a platform for the students to get real working experience.

“This is the kind of business experience you would not learn from a book. You learn from the issues encountered and also from daily operations.

“Students will meet different types of customers and put to practice communications and marketing strategies,” he said.

So said offering help to students was one way for them to give back to society.

The specially curated mooncakes will be on sale until Sunday. They are priced at RM68 for a box, consisting of four mooncake flavours, and two boxes for RM128.