Our Story
In 2017, our director and founder Dr Adrian Goh (a Melakan Australian) decided to take a break from practicing Medicine in Australia, taking him on a journey around the world. This led to new perspectives on the intersection of health, lifestyle, business and philanthropy. Following many discussions with family, friends and colleagues, Dr Goh decided to embark on a journey to craft a natural product that is both enjoyable and good for people’s health, whilst using the business platform as an overarching driver for positive change (specifically inspiring healthier lifestyle choices and engaging in community philanthropy).
Thus, Highland Kombucha and PICO was born.
In Highland Kombucha, Dr Goh has refined an ancient health tonic for modern times. Having sourced the finest organic ingredients from the highlands all across Asia, we use modern scientific techniques to slowly and carefully ferment each batch of Kombucha to perfection - making every sip well worth the wait. The end result is a fresh and delicious Kombucha - an all natural probiotic sparkling tea that is low in sugar.
PICO is the physical home of Highland Kombucha - a modern minimalist café that is a sanctuary immersed in greenery and overlooking the Melaka River. At its heart, PICO focuses on inspiring a positive, healthy and balanced lifestyle for all and everyone. Over time, PICO hopes to establish itself as a community and philanthropic hub within Melaka and Malaysia.
Our Founder - Dr Adrian Goh
“As a medical doctor in the hospital setting, I had spent several years treating both severe physical and mental disease. It was hard to ignore the fact that there is still so much more that we could be doing to prevent or slow the disease process in the first place.
I was drawn to the deep potential of Kombucha as an entry point to encourage healthier lifestyle choices. In my personal journey, I started to drink Kombucha daily and soon began to notice an improvement in my general well being and mental health. It also helped me to reflect on what I was putting into my body and how it affected the way I felt and functioned throughout the day.
Whilst there is still plenty of research to be done for us to fully understand the links between fermented foods and health, what we do know is that eating a diet rich in probiotics is linked with improved digestive health, immune function and overall well being.
Furthermore there is growing evidence to suggest that microbiome health can affect the Gut Brain Axis (the communication between the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal nervous system) - which in turn can impact one’s emotional and cognitive states.
Kombucha is not a miracle cure by any means, but it is an enjoyable and healthy drink that has the power to inspire a more nutritious probiotic whole food diet. And who knows, it might even lead you on a journey to discover the wonderful world of fermented foods and probiotics, just like it did for me.”
Highland Kombucha represents an ancient antidote to some of our modern challenges…
In a world full of superficial and instant gratification, we use a slow and natural process that takes time and patience.
Highland Kombucha uses only a few high quality ingredients with nothing artificial.
The end result is a highly nutritious beverage that is low in sugar and rich in probiotics.
We are now rediscovering the importance of gut health and its central role in the body and overall well-being. Chronic stress, poor diet and the common use of antibiotics and non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cumulatively deplete our gut health. A simple way to address this challenge is by adjusting our modern diets to incorporate prebiotic and probiotic foods to replenish our microbiome.
The Microbiome
“Prevention is better than cure” (Erasmus)
“Let food be thy medicine” (unknown)
And so, here we are…
We set out to create an enjoyable natural healthy product that adds value to people’s lives, so much so that it inspires and encourages further healthy lifestyle choices. We feel like we have achieved this goal. Click below to browse Highland Kombucha - Malaysia’s Premium Kombucha.
Available now at PICO.