- 6 weeks ago
Why Dubai Chocolate Triggered A Global Food Obsession
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00:00the Dubai chocolate bar started off as a pregnancy craving I had this idea of
00:08creating a dessert chocolate bar with different textures different flavors
00:13Sara Hamouda never expected it to become such a viral trend with thousands of
00:19businesses from restaurant chains like Shake Shack to local bakeries launching
00:24spin-offs all over the world you can really feel the crunch in it and it's
00:28not super sweet either those who are making some of the key ingredients like
00:34katefi and pistachio cream are also seeing a boom sales grew like eighteen
00:39hundred percent which is pretty crazy from just one trend from one chocolate
00:44bar so how did a chocolate bar that's made and sold exclusively in Dubai turn into a
00:52global trend oh wow look at that Sara Hamouda was craving Middle Eastern desserts like
01:00kunafe when she had the idea for Dubai chocolate kunafe was something that my mom
01:06used to you know cook at home and it was all about bringing those kind of flavors
01:09back back to life and in different ways so in 2021 she and her husband invented a
01:15bar called can't get kunafe of it we were selling from the house relying a lot on word
01:21of mouth and then came Maria lovely girl who reached out and she did a video of
01:27eating the can't get kunafe of it bar that video which has been viewed more than
01:34100 million times transformed their business there was just a queue of riders
01:39outside wanting we had no chocolate like nothing at all at the same time it's
01:45like thousands and thousands of people were asking us to deliver to Argentina or
01:49like Mexico or like China now fixed dessert chocolatiers makes more than 500
01:55bars a day by hand and they're sold just for a few hours through one delivery app in
02:00the UAE a 200 gram bar sells for around $18 that's about double the price of
02:07Cadbury fruit and nut seeing people from around the world doing their own
02:11versions whether it's kids adults it's just been insane and jumping on the
02:17trend appears to be safe from a legal perspective the name Dubai chocolate
02:23isn't registered because it's considered a generic or geographic term under most
02:28trademark laws location-based product names can't be owned that's why saying Dubai
02:35chocolate is kind of like saying New York cheesecake or French baguette on top of
02:40that recipes aren't protected as intellectual property unlike books and
02:45art the only way to guard them is to keep them a secret so while fix is the
02:51original creator other businesses like Lind and Trader Joe's are legally free to
02:57come up with their own versions and sell them as Dubai style bars and that's what
03:05Bolchi is doing in Turkey the company says they were the first to introduce the
03:12bar in the country on an industrial scale at this factory they're making one and a
03:17half million pieces of chocolate or 50 tons every day I mean I can't even imagine
03:21that but sometimes my job is a lot of fun because I've just been eating chocolates
03:25all day long
03:28Hossein Denise Akso is the second generation owner of Bolchi and came up
03:33with the recipe for their Dubai chocolate along with his sister after eight
03:38unsuccessful trials in the ninth trial we made it now we are producing that
03:45recipe currently it is the most popular category of our portfolio just a few
03:51months after launching in June 2024 sales soared 400 percent and to meet
03:57demand this factory has been heavily automated first high-tech cameras check
04:03if the molding trays are clean that you can see the particle size and also the
04:09shape everything everything can be detected then molds are heated up to
04:13around 78 degrees Fahrenheit otherwise it would be impossible to spread the
04:19chocolates the chocolate and pistachio filling are deposited in what Denise
04:25calls a one-shot system most of our competitors tend to use lower amounts of
04:31pistachios or artificial flavors aromas colorings but in our chocolate it is
04:37only the pistachio that colors and flavors the product the filled molds go
04:42through a vibration machine that spreads the mixture evenly and removes air bubbles
04:49finally a cooling tunnel drops the products temperature to 57 degrees Fahrenheit then
04:57the chocolates are sent off to another floor for packaging
05:01they've got spears bars and gift boxes and boxes that are taller than me
05:08exports are a big part of the business about 60% of the chocolate is shipped to 72
05:16countries including the US where it's sold at Amazon Walmart and local grocery stores
05:22in the beginning it was a super hype in the Turkish market then the trend is
05:29shifted to European part of the world and now it is super trendy in the US now they
05:37have at least five different flavors of the bar despite the variations the
05:42chocolate bowl she uses always remains the same it comes in liquid form from Barry
05:47Calibo a Swiss Belgian company which is the biggest chocolate maker in the world here
05:52it's stored in these giant tanks it smells super delicious like very creamy creamy chocolate yeah
06:00in this one it contains three tons we even have a bigger one the cocoa beans
06:06the cocoa beans bolchi uses are mostly sourced from West Africa the region grows nearly 70% of the world's cocoa
06:16and in 2024 just as Dubai chocolate prices started trending global cocoa prices hit record highs topping more than $12,000 per tonne
06:27that's nearly triple from the year before the climate crisis is to blame for much of the spike
06:34extreme heat and erratic rainfall in West Africa caused cocoa crops to shrivel resulting in smaller harvests
06:45and that's had a domino effect on Dubai chocolate suppliers
06:50another ingredient that's flying off shelves is shredded phyllo or katefi
06:55we always just made the product because it's part of our heritage and there is an ethnic community that buys it
07:00but then when Dubai chocolate exploded then it became like one of our best sellers
07:06Demi helps her family run Contos Foods a second generation business in New Jersey
07:11they make all kinds of Greek goodies from pita to traditional pastries and of course katefi
07:18the recipe is simple flour and water no yeast
07:23the dough mix is so different than bread bread is alive this is totally different
07:28Demi's dad Steven has been making this for decades
07:32I do remember as a youngster 10 and 12 and years old growing up in my dad's business that there was just a hot plate
07:41and he would spin it with a pedal on the floor and it would drip and it would just spin around
07:46the batter is filtered and drops onto a plate about 20 feet in diameter that's heated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
07:55the dough gets squeezed out in continuous long strands
08:03it's like hair like a wig
08:06the business initially had just one of these katefi production lines
08:10but they built another to keep up with the new demand
08:14each runs 24-7 and makes 250 pounds of batter an hour
08:19we make raw katefi dough and then we also make chocolate katefi which is just made with cocoa powder
08:25and we also make a toasted katefi which is more brown in color
08:28and that is typically used in these Dubai chocolate recipes
08:32both Steven and Demi prefer raw katefi
08:36you can wrap it with shrimp you can wrap it around your favorite things
08:39you can toast it you can crumble it you can do whatever you want with it
08:43and food experts say cultural curiosity about products like katefi has also contributed to Dubai chocolate success
08:51we're seeing consumers are increasingly seeking out international flavors
08:55and so in a really affordable accessible way Dubai chocolate bar let them kind of experience a little bit more of this global flavor
09:04even the pistachio cream that forms the filling isn't an ingredient Americans were used to
09:11in the past you know we had to explain to people what our products were how to use it why it exists
09:17Malia and her husband Ahad Sardar Cheshkurlu own Pepper Tux Farms
09:22a popular maker of pistachio cream
09:24when Dubai chocolate went viral their online sales tripled overnight
09:29so we have been in operation for three years before the trend hit we had stock which was a great thing to have during that first summer in 2024 when this thing blew up like crazy
09:42people were scrambling to buy pistachios of all grades and the demand was just so high that people were competing to get high quality pistachios us included
09:51like Bolchi the couple source their pistachios from Turkey where Ahad is from
09:57the climate in the southern province of Gaziantep is ideal for growing them
10:02the soil the water the heat and the atmosphere plays a big role in how a product will actually end up tasting
10:09the harvest starts at the crack of dawn before it gets unbearably hot
10:16it's a family affair everything here is handpicked unlike at many large-scale pistachio farms in the US
10:29but the supply isn't always steady because pistachios are naturally alternative bearing
10:35which means one season may result in an ample crop while the next could be much smaller
10:41Ahad knows this firsthand
10:43last year this farm produced about 220,000 pounds of pistachios
10:48but this year the yield was just 33,000 pounds
10:52made worse by extreme weather
10:55definitely climate change is making an impact on output for sure
11:01we had a bit of a frost this year in March when the tree already had the blossoms on it
11:06and that's never good for the flower
11:11today farmers are separating the highest quality nuts
11:14then it's time for shelling
11:19we haul it back to a facility to remove the otter shells with a lot of friction and water
11:24and then once that's done it's laid out on huge lots to be sun-dried
11:32the most important step is roasting
11:35how many degrees you roast the product and for how long how many times
11:38determines a lot of different things
11:40so you might be going for a beautiful green color
11:42that's when you really want to roast it slow
11:44then the nuts are ground up in a closed machine
11:47and mixed with milk, sugar, cocoa butter and a few other ingredients to form a thick green
11:54while Ahad swears by his Turkish pistachios
11:57it's the US that leads global production supplying more than 60%
12:02Iran which produces 17% is a distant second
12:07followed by Turkey at around 11%
12:10China is the top buyer
12:12but the country recently imposed tariffs on American grown nuts
12:17which led US imports to drop by over 50% in the first half of 2025
12:23that's opened the door for Iran and Turkey
12:26both known for prioritizing quality over quantity
12:31that is why we choose anti pistachios
12:33and that is why we believe that they're so far superior than pistachios from Iran, Italy or California
12:39currently
12:42pepper tux produces about one and a half million of these smaller jars of pistachio cream a year
12:48that 7 ounce version is available for around $10
12:52Wegmans is one of our top top top retailers
12:56Whole Foods again top retailer
12:58now we're launching for a limited time at Costco regions
13:02even restaurants that never needed pistachio cream are adding it to their kitchens
13:06like Shake Shack which launched a milkshake
13:12I think the unique thing about the Dubai chocolate bar is that it's just as much textural as it is flavor
13:18we wanted to stay true to those really iconic and delicious ingredients
13:21the chain debuted the shake in Dubai
13:24but also wanted to add it to menus in the US
13:27so that's where from a supply chain perspective the work really started
13:30looking around the United States to find equal quality pistachio paste
13:34dark chocolate shredded phyllo dough
13:36that truly replicated what we were serving in Dubai
13:39within six weeks they launched it in New York, LA and Miami
13:44one of their fastest rollouts ever
13:46and so our ability to turn this around rather quickly
13:49and capitalize on that trend is ultimately what I'm most proud of
13:53the limited edition milkshake cost around $10 in the US
13:59that's $5 more than the average cost of a plain chocolate shake at Dairy Queen
14:04and it was a huge hit
14:06the fact that this was selling out within minutes of it being on the menu
14:09here in New York and around the country was totally unexpected
14:13and was not something that I think we were prepared for
14:17Currently you can find everything from Dubai style donuts
14:21to strawberry cups and even croissants
14:24There are certain items here that we may switch out over time
14:27but I can't imagine not having it
14:29it's more popular than the tried and true almond croissant
14:33That's Keith Kohn, the owner of New York's famous bakery or washers
14:38Morning Isa, how are you? How's everything?
14:41So since 1916 we've been here
14:44and I've been in the bakery business since I'm 24 years old
14:50Oil Washers is known for its Jewish pastries
14:53but they couldn't ignore the popularity of Dubai chocolate
14:57I like halwa very much and I have since a kid
15:00and the Dubai chocolate reminded me very much of halwa
15:03and everyone likes the filo dough, that crunchiness
15:06so I had to think of something
15:09Their croissant is filled with chocolate batons
15:18Then bakers add pistachio cream
15:20The one Ore Washers uses is actually from Pepper Tux
15:24You have the American pistachios that are grown out in California
15:27but if you ever had the Iranian pistachios or Turkish
15:31they're different
15:33Next, it's mixed with toasted katefi
15:36It's a good workout
15:38See how it's like becoming one here
15:41Croissants are not an easy product to make consistently
15:45and it's really, it's a little bit of an art
15:48The tops are drizzled with chocolate and sold for $6.50 each
15:53A lot of times social media promotes things that aren't that good
15:56In this case, this is delicious
15:59It's always going to work
16:00I think it's going to be a staple
16:02I've seen this made from start to finish
16:04and it's nearly lunchtime
16:05so I think I can justify eating this now
16:07After we filmed, the bakery offered this batch free to customers
16:11It looks incredible, incredible
16:14Here's one for you
16:15Okay, cheers
16:16Enjoy the cheers
16:18Oh my god
16:20I thought it was amazing
16:22Me and the baby boy approved
16:23So, you know, it's really good
16:24I love the fashion reason
16:26So, it's a nice dream
16:27Since 2024, TikTok views with the hashtag Dubai Chocolate Bar
16:32have increased by over 500%, peaking in March 2025
16:37Now, some influencers have even started making the chocolate as their side hustle
16:43Like Vanessa Liang in Saskatoon, Canada
16:46who has 37,000 followers
16:48By day, Vanessa is an oncology pharmacist
16:52But at night, she designs and makes each of these by hand
16:56Because the Dubai Chocolate Bar was such an elegant, elaborate thing
17:00I wanted to make it into essentially the most big deal chocolate bar I could
17:04So, I thought, okay, what are the colors? What are the inspirations?
17:07I want there to be gold, I want there to be green
17:09I want it to be really luxurious, hand-painted, a marble look on it
17:14At first, Vanessa transformed her garage into a makeshift chocolate factory
17:19Now, she makes these in her own custom-built kitchen
17:22I did a turmeric infusion for the toasting of the katefi, which was really nice
17:28And then that pistachio brisseline brought in that extra crunch, which was just delicious
17:32And then, instead of just the pistachio cream
17:35I also incorporated some gold chocolate into the ganache
17:38So, I made it into like a gold chocolate, turmeric, katefi combination
17:43And it was so delicious
17:46Vanessa sells her premium Taste of Dubai creations for as much as $125 each
17:53And these bars are also Instagrammable like most Dubai chocolate products
17:58It's visually distinctive, videos have, you know, textures and fillings
18:02It's got kind of like that creamy inside, but like a hard exterior
18:05And that's, you know, perfect for your ASMRs
18:08There's all those sounds that consumers just love to hear
18:13And like the original, Vanessa's bars aren't available all the time
18:18Exclusiveness is always just like a really good way to add to that level of premiumness
18:22Because you're one of the more select people who got a hold of their product
18:27But most chocolatiers do ramp up production for the holidays as sales tend to soar
18:34Dubai chocolate is basically a seasonal item for us
18:38When it comes to like making a, for example, a pecan pie or apple pie or, you know, pumpkin pie
18:44These are all seasonal
18:46New York Bakery & Desserts is located in the heart of Times Square
18:50But the family that owns it is, you guessed it, Turkish
18:54And gets most of their ingredients from there
18:56Histachua comes from Turkey
18:58Chaka comes from Turkey
18:59Khadif comes from Brooklyn
19:01There's a retired old military Turkish guy who we get it from
19:06Their larger bar costs nearly $20
19:09And during the holidays, they sell about $2,000 a day
19:13Most of their sales are driven by foot traffic
19:16But in the summer, they rely on online orders
19:19It gets a little complicated to ship it
19:21Because it's like 100 degrees outside, it will start melting
19:24We have dry ice that we use
19:27And then we have the temperature proof packaging that we use
19:31But, you know, once it's like 110 degrees, it wouldn't last more than like a day in that
19:37But they plan on selling the chocolate for as long as the trend lasts
19:42When people stop reacting, I think we will, you know, slow down the numbers a little bit
19:47Back in Dubai, Fix has been launching pop-ups in malls and places like Dubai Airport
19:55Where they sold more than 1.2 million bars in April 2025 alone
20:00There isn't a word to even explain how I feel sometimes
20:03But yeah, the pinch me moment is still happening
20:07And they still haven't forgotten their roots
20:10When I go to like, you know, any event, etc.
20:15I'm actually trying to buy something from local brands or homegrown brands that have just started
20:21Because I remember being in that position
20:24And that feeling of someone buying something from us was amazing
20:29The company now sells at least 10 different kinds of bars
20:33For us, honestly, it's flattering
20:36It's good to see whether big or small brands have tried to make their own take of our Dubai chocolate
20:44That is my favorite part
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