From Cravings to Craze: How Dubai Chocolate Became a Global Obsession
It all began with a craving — not just any craving, but a pregnancy-fueled longing for something sweet, rich, and completely out of the ordinary. In 2022, Dubai-based chocolatier FIX Dessert, led by the imaginative British-Egyptian founder Sarah Hamouda, gave life to a dessert that would soon rewrite the rules of chocolate. The result? A bold creation filled with creamy pistachio, nutty tahini, and crispy layers of knafeh pastry, all wrapped in luxurious milk chocolate. Its name? Can’t Get Knafeh Of It — and it was unlike anything the world had tasted before.
Fast forward to December 2023, when a spontaneous car video by TikTok creator Maria Vehera sent the internet into a frenzy. Her delight was contagious. Within days, the video racked up over 125 million views, and just like that, the chocolate bar earned its new title: Dubai chocolate. It wasn’t long before it became a cultural phenomenon, with people around the globe lining up — not for traditional sweets, but for a taste of Dubai’s newest export.
I witnessed the hype firsthand in Munich during the 2024 Christmas market. Amid the winter chill and glowing holiday lights, the longest line wasn’t for German cookies or stollen, but for this now-iconic treat from the Middle East.
Dubai chocolate isn’t just a product — it’s a movement. A delicious blend of innovation, social media magic, and Middle Eastern flair that has taken the world by storm
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In an interview with the BBC earlier this year, FIX Dessert’s co-founder Yezen Alani called the brand’s rise to global fame both “flattering and humbling.” And while the buzz around their signature Can’t Get Knafeh Of It bar continues to grow internationally, FIX has chosen to keep its distribution exclusive — for now — offering the chocolate only within the UAE. This exclusivity, however, hasn’t stopped the world from wanting a taste. In response to soaring demand, both boutique chocolatiers and global giants like Lindt and Ülker have jumped on the trend, releasing their own inspired takes. These copycat creations — all carrying the now-iconic label of “Dubai chocolate” — have flooded shelves everywhere from high-end stores to local corner shops around the globe.
Dubai Chocolate Mania: The Sweet Obsession Redefining a Global Industry
What began in a UAE kitchen has now taken over the world. Today, Dubai chocolate is everywhere — from food delivery apps across the Emirates to the bustling sweet shops of Istanbul, the shelves of London’s Lidl, and even the narrow, vibrant lanes of Mumbai’s flea markets. Its soaring popularity has led to worldwide sellouts, long waiting lists in Europe and the U.S., and even a global pistachio shortage. High-end collaborations with brands like Shake Shack and Starbucks have only fueled the frenzy. In some places, supermarkets are rationing the bars, and yes — people have actually been caught trying to smuggle them.
This unprecedented craze has created exciting new opportunities for artisan chocolatiers across the globe. One of the first to jump on the trend was Maison Samadi in London — a heritage chocolate house with Lebanese roots going back to 1872. Their creation, “Dubai Viral Style Chocolate,” is a tribute to the original, blending their family’s Middle Eastern dessert legacy with their time-honored chocolate expertise. “We were already working on a collection rooted in our heritage when we came across the viral Dubai bar,” says Nabil Chehab, Maison Samadi’s Business Development Director. “It was a perfect match — combining knafeh, a nostalgic favorite, with chocolate in a way that’s totally new and indulgent.”
The demand? Beyond anything they expected. According to Chehab, the concept of a “dessert inside a chocolate bar” has struck a chord globally, offering something far richer than your everyday chocolate fix.
And the appeal goes deeper than just flavor. Renowned Turkish food writer Aylin Öney Tan says it best: “The magic lies in the texture. The silky pistachio cream not only melts beautifully in your mouth, but it also looks stunning. Add in the crunch of knafeh’s kadayif pastry, and you’ve got a textural contrast that’s completely addictive.”
What once was a niche craving has now become a cultural confection — reshaping how the world experiences chocolate.
Why Dubai Chocolate Is Built for Virality — And Scarcity
“Crunchy chocolates have always captivated consumers — just look at classics like Toblerone and Ferrero Rocher,” says renowned Turkish food critic Aylin Öney Tan. “Dubai chocolate follows the same principle but takes it even further, making it tailor-made for the age of TikTok and Instagram.” It’s not just the flavor — it’s the full sensory experience. In the viral TikTok video by Maria Vehera, the paint-splattered bar cracks open with a satisfying crunch, releasing a rich flow of pistachio cream. The ASMR-worthy sounds and visual indulgence quickly earned it status as a social media showstopper.
But the viral magic isn’t just about looks. According to Monique Naval, senior research analyst at Euromonitor International, Dubai chocolate’s rapid rise wasn’t solely powered by influencers — it’s also about exclusivity. FIX Dessert releases its original Can’t Get Knafeh Of It bar only twice a day on the Deliveroo app in the UAE, precisely at 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM. With just 500 bars produced daily, they’re gone in minutes. This time-sensitive, location-bound availability creates a constant sense of urgency and FOMO, driving global demand through the roof.
The Allure of Luxury Meets the Warmth of Tradition
According to Monique Naval, senior analyst at Euromonitor International, the word “Dubai” itself carries a powerful aura that fuels the chocolate’s mystique. “Just hearing the name conjures up images of five-star hotels, shimmering skyscrapers, designer cars, and desserts topped with gold leaf,” she explains. “That association with extravagance is a big part of what makes Dubai chocolate feel so indulgent and desirable.”
But beneath the glossy surface and viral buzz lies something even more meaningful — deep cultural roots and emotional connection. The success of Dubai chocolate isn’t just about luxury packaging or social media trends. It’s also about heritage — the comforting taste of knafeh, the richness of pistachio, and the longstanding Middle Eastern tradition of sharing sweets and giving edible gifts from the heart.
For chocolatier Nabil Chehab of Maison Samadi in London, the link is deeply personal. “My wife’s great-grandfather, Muhieddine Samadi, started Al Samadi Sweets in Beirut back in 1872, and knafeh was among his very first creations,” he shares. “I still remember, as a boy growing up in Beirut, hopping into one of those shared taxis to pick up a warm plate of knafeh for breakfast — often eating it on the way to my father’s shop. I never imagined I’d one day marry Samadi’s great-granddaughter,” he adds with a nostalgic smile.
Dubai chocolate, then, is more than a trend — it’s a fusion of past and present, of rich memories and modern luxury, wrapped into a single decadent bite.
From Sweet Nostalgia to Global Fame: The Story Behind Dubai’s Viral Chocolate
In an interview with Arabian Business, Sarah Hamouda, founder of FIX Dessert Chocolatier, shared her vision: “I didn’t just want to make chocolate. I wanted people to feel something — to be transported back in time with just one bite.” And that’s exactly what Dubai chocolate does. For fans around the world, that first taste sparks a vivid sensory journey — evoking memories of vibrant Middle Eastern souks, where the scent of roasted pistachios mingles with the sounds of merchants and the allure of traditional sweets.
The timing couldn’t be better. According to Monique Naval of Euromonitor International, nearly 70% of global consumers are hungry for cross-cultural experiences — especially through food. And pistachios, long cherished in Middle Eastern cuisine, have surged in global popularity. From pistachio-flavored lattes to cocktails, they’re now being celebrated as the next big seasonal obsession.
As interest in Middle Eastern flavors grows, so does tourism to the region — with Dubai now standing tall as a major culinary hotspot. For some travelers, it’s not just about skyscrapers or shopping — it’s about experiencing that one iconic chocolate bar that started it all.
What began as a craving during pregnancy has transformed into a worldwide phenomenon — blending emotion, tradition, and flavor into a single unforgettable bite.
