Innovative food waste solutions are not always born from major commercial enterprises — sometimes, they begin at home.
In Jakarta, three Year 13 students from British School Jakarta (BSJ) have successfully built a custom system that converts food waste into poultry feed. Their initiative, RenewFeed, combines technology, environmental awareness, and community collaboration in a practical model for sustainability.
Behind the project are triplets Sanat, Aditya, and Akul Punj, who engineered RenewFeed as part of their IB Diploma CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) requirement. What began as a school project has since evolved into a home-based operation that collects food waste from restaurants and hotels before donating the resulting poultry feed to local farms.
At the heart of RenewFeed is a patent-pending system that integrates dryer, dehydrator, and crusher components. Entirely designed and built by the students, the machine transforms food scraps into dry, nutrient-rich poultry feed through a controlled drying and crushing process. The trio spent months testing materials, fine-tuning temperature settings, and refining the mechanism to produce a consistent, safe product suitable for livestock.
“We started RenewFeed as part of our CAS project, but it quickly became something much bigger,” said Sanat. “It’s not just a school project anymore — it’s our way of contributing to something that matters.”
Food waste is a growing global problem, and Indonesia is no exception. Each year, more than 20 million tonnes of food are discarded, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the country’s landfill waste. Meanwhile, many small-scale poultry farmers struggle with high feed costs that threaten their livelihoods. Recognising this, the Punj brothers set out to link the two issues — turning leftover food into affordable, nutritious poultry feed that helps reduce waste and support local farmers.
Today, RenewFeed collaborates with partners including Simetri Coffee Roasters, Sodexo, Ismaya, and Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta. Together, they have collected around 1,200 kilograms of food waste and produced roughly 250 kilograms of poultry feed. The finished feed is donated to a poultry farm managed by Kertabumi Recycling Centre, creating a circular model that benefits both people and the environment.
Building the system was not without its challenges. Working from home, the triplets spent months sourcing reliable components and visiting industrial hubs such as Kenari Mas and LTC Glodok to find affordable fabricators. They also faced obstacles such as fluctuating humidity affecting the drying process and logistical difficulties in collecting food waste from multiple locations.
“There were many times when things didn’t go as planned,” said Akul. “Sometimes the machines broke down, or the food waste spoiled before we could process it. But we kept testing, learning, and improving.”
Convincing restaurants to participate was another hurdle. Many were initially hesitant due to hygiene and liability concerns. Through transparent and professional communication, the brothers gradually built trust and established long-term partnerships. Funding for the project came through school events, tournaments, and community crowdfunding — a testament to the strong support from their peers and the wider BSJ community.
Looking ahead, the students plan to enhance their system with smart sensors to monitor temperature, humidity, and gas levels during the drying process. The data will enable them to optimise feed quality and reduce energy use. Their long-term goal is to make RenewFeed scalable and adaptable, encouraging more schools and communities to replicate the model. The project aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 11, 12, and 13 — supporting sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, and climate action.
Ikbal from Kertabumi Recycling Centre shared how the initiative has made a tangible impact on his community.
“RenewFeed has been sending us poultry feed weekly for several months now. It’s inspiring to see how environmental awareness and food security can go hand in hand,” he said. “I’m proud to see these students take such a proactive role.”
At British School Jakarta, where the idea first took shape, cafeteria manager Freddy has witnessed the brothers’ dedication first-hand.
“Sanat, Aditya, and Akul collect food waste every day that would otherwise end up in the bin,” he said. “Their work reminds us that sustainability often begins with small, consistent actions.”
The project has also drawn praise from industry partners.
“At Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta, we’re proud to support young changemakers like these three,” said hotel manager Vishal Sanadhya. “Their commitment to reducing food waste aligns perfectly with our sustainability goals.”
For the Punj brothers, RenewFeed has been more than just a project — it has been a lesson in perseverance.
“We’ve realised that innovation doesn’t always require big facilities or funding,” Aditya reflected. “You just need curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to start.”
British School Jakarta is proud of the students’ achievement, which reflects the school’s commitment to fostering learning experiences that connect classroom knowledge with real-world challenges. By supporting initiatives like this, BSJ continues to encourage creativity, compassion, and practical problem-solving — preparing students to thrive and make a meaningful impact both within and beyond the school.