The Top30 Bar Awards are to be held in Cambodia for the first time in March next year to recognise the Kingdom’s standout bars and showcase its bartending talent, promoting them to local and international markets rich in potential.

The Top30 Bar Awards presented by Heineken originated in Malaysia, with the first event in 2022 celebrating the country’s best bars and bartenders.

Top30 Bars aims to be a platform to raise the standards and enhance the reputation of the bars and food and beverage industry in Cambodia.

The programme also presents a major opportunity for the Kingdom’s bars and their talented bartenders to gain well-deserved recognition and prominence in local and international markets.

“We have done market research on Cambodia. We think it is a beautiful country with friendly people, and while it has many amazing bars and excellent bartenders, they are somewhat underrated.

“Therefore, I believe Cambodia’s Top30 Bar Awards will be an incredible programme for celebrating the country’s top alcoholic beverages, including beers and cocktails, as they fully deserve recognition,” said Alvin Sinclair, founder of the Top30 Awards.

The Cambodia’s Top30 Bar Awards presented by Heineken will also run a series of spectacular campaigns for the winners, ensuring they continue to enjoy great benefits even after being honoured.

The Cambodia’s Top30 Bar Awards 2023 will kick off with the nomination of 150 bars listed throughout the main cities of Cambodia, with a shortlist then whittled down to 100.

Shortlisted bars will be evaluated by a group of industry-selected juries to make the 50 finalists, with these continually evaluated until the deserving top 30 bars are presented with their awards at the final gala awards night.

The Cambodia’s Top30 Bar Awards presented by Heineken Cambodia final gala night will be held at the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra hotel in March, with around 400 participants, including bar owners, bartenders, family members, influencers and the media, in attendance.

“This is not a ranking awards programme, rather one to evaluate the quality of the top bars and present them with categorised awards without ranking as we believe they are all wonderfully unique and excellent just the way they are,” said Sinclair.

And as with every Top30 Awards held, a corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign is being organised.

Cambodia Top30 Bar Awards will raise funds for the Indochina Starfish Foundation (ISF), a Cambodian charity with 16 years of experience using education, sport and community development programmes to change the lives of those most in need to build a brighter future.

Proceeds of the event will be donated in support of ISF.

The Cambodia Top30 Bar Awards 2023 would not be possible without the invaluable contributions of main sponsor Heineken Cambodia, exclusive spirit partners Chivas Regal and Ballantine’s, as well as other partners such as Seekers Gin and Giffard.

An annual programme, the organisers will after Cambodia continue on their mission to further destinations, which include Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Japan and South Korea.