Who hasn’t heard of Dubai chocolate? The sweet treat blew up on TikTok last year, sparking a surge in demand for the viral chocolate bars worldwide. This inspired chocolatiers and manufacturers everywhere to create their own take, making it more widely available than ever. But the social media-trendy Dubai chocolate might soon be hard to get once again due to a global pistachio shortage caused by the trend.
The famous Dubai chocolate was first created by Dubai-based Fix Dessert Chocolatier. At its core, it’s a milk chocolate shell stuffed with pistachio paste and knafeh, creating a rich, decadent, and crunchy treat. Now, many variations exist in all sorts of flavours, but the pistachio version is still the most well-known.
Popularity of Dubai chocolate causes global pistachio shortage
The chocolatier relied on influencers to market its launch, and their reviews went viral on social media. Not only was it delicious, but it was also visually striking with its bright colours and texture. Soon after, everyone wanted to try it, starting a worldwide trend.
Brands started to create their version of Dubai chocolate, including major companies like Lindt and Nestle. The same happened in Singapore, with Nova Bakehouse and other cafes and chocolatiers putting their own twist on it. But as more brands began producing Dubai chocolate, demand for pistachio kernels, the key ingredient, began to outgrow its supply.
A tough year on the pistachio market
The US, the world’s largest exporter of pistachios, have been struggling to meet demands for the green nut. Last year saw a poor harvest season with a smaller crop than usual. It did yield higher quality nuts, which were mostly sold whole in their shells. However, this contributed to the shortage of pistachio kernels that are used to create the chocolate bars.
The price of pistachios has surged over the past year. It went from USD 7.65 to USD 10.30 per pound, according to Giles Hacking from global nut trader CG Hacking for the Financial Times, seeing an almost 35% increase. In the future, we might see Dubai chocolate bar prices also rising, with more limited stock. If you’re a fan of Dubai chocolate, then it might be time to stock up.
(Hero and featured image credit: @fixdessertchocolatier/Instagram)
This story first appeared in Lifestyle Asia Singapore.
