PENICILLIN Founders Share Sustainable Bar Vision Despite Ranking Decline
SingTao · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago1 MIN
Summary
PENICILLIN, Hong Kong's first zero-waste experimental bar founded by Agung Prabowo and Laura Prabowo, has dropped to 49th place in the 2026 Asia's 50 Best Bars ranking from its peak of 22nd, yet the founders remain committed to their sustainability mission. The bar transforms kitchen waste from local restaurants into cocktails through laboratory techniques including fermentation and centrifugation, with their signature "One Penicillin, One Tree" cocktail featuring 95% upcycled ingredients.
Key Points
- PENICILLIN ranked 49th in Asia's 50 Best Bars 2026; Hong Kong has 7 bars on the list
- Bar uses fermentation, centrifugation, and maceration to transform kitchen waste into cocktails
- "One Penicillin, One Tree" cocktail contains 95% upcycled ingredients; over 12,000 trees planted in Kalimantan rainforest
- Tables crafted from Typhoon Mangkhut-fallen trees in 2018; medicine bottle display wall uses recycled paper labels
- Founders opened LOCKDOWN bar in 2024 specializing in Prohibition-era classic cocktails
Why It Matters
PENICILLIN demonstrates that Hong Kong's bar scene can integrate environmental consciousness without sacrificing creativity, offering a model for sustainable hospitality. Their approach of preserving local cultural elements like upcycled neon signs while supporting local farmers and businesses addresses both ecological and community concerns.
PENICILLIN demonstrates that Hong Kong's bar scene can integrate environmental consciousness without sacrificing creativity, offering a model for sustainable hospitality. Their approach of preserving local cultural elements like upcycled neon signs while supporting local farmers and businesses addresses both ecological and community concerns.