Jigger & Pony Group’s Jakarta venture is first of many international forays

A “personal connection” may have brought Jigger & Pony Group’s founders to Jakarta, but the Indonesian capital’s burgeoning cocktail scene will fuel their success, as Nimmi Malhotra reports.

Cosmo Pony, a new bar by Singapore-based Jigger & Pony Group, is set to open in mid-2024 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Jakarta. This will be the group’s first of many forays into overseas markets.

Co-founders Indra Kantono and his wife, Guoyi Gan, have always expressed interest in expanding further in Southeast Asia, and Jakarta was an obvious choice. “There is a personal connection with the country, given that I am Indonesian,” says Indra Kantono. “However, beyond that, the restaurant and bar scene in Jakarta has been really exciting in recent years.”

The new venture comes to life in partnership with Indonesia’s Union Group, a conglomerate of nine brands and 22 outlets, including The Cocktail Club, listed at No. 19 on Asia’s 50 Best Bar list and also American brasserie Union, which debuted on the same list in 2016.

The Jigger & Pony Group maintains a strong presence in Singapore with seven bars and restaurants including Live Twice, Sugarhall, and its flagship venue, Jigger & Pony, ranked No.14 in The World’s 50 Best Bars and number 2 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list. Last year, the bar was also recognised as Best International Hotel Bar at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards 2023.

Jakarta shares many similarities with the emerging cocktail capitals around the world, Kantono says. “Over our last few visits to Jakarta, we can see the quality of the cocktail experience improving significantly, with attention to detail in better glassware and good ice. Many bartenders are also exploring Indonesian ingredients and flavours, which contributes to projecting a new and modern Indonesian identity.”

Added to that, Kantono says the market is looking for knowledgeable bartenders, quality spirits, and well-crafted, creative cocktails, which plays straight into Jigger and Pony’s strengths.

On clientele, Kantono says Jakarta consumers are a lot more fun-loving than Singapore, where guests may be a bit more serious about their cocktails. “People go out in larger groups and are more focused on each other’s company and having a good time together, which results in livelier venues.” As a result, they have secured over 3,500 square feet for Cosmo Pony, significantly larger than the group’s Singapore bar holdings.

The two hospitality giants come together with mutual friendship and respect. Stefanie Wijono, deputy marketing & PR director of The Union Group, added: “The Union Group and Jigger & Pony Group share similar values on hospitality, quality of offerings, and work ethic, and we complement each other in many ways.”

The name Cosmo nods to the Cosmopolitan drink, and Pony refers to the group Jigger and Pony, who will lead the beverage programme development in Jakarta. Further plans will be revealed in due course.