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The Dubai Chocolate Effect

How a chocolatier’s food craving became a global sensation


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You’ve heard of Dubai Chocolate, but do you really know the whole story? At first glance, it appears to be another typical trend, a luxury item sold solely for the fleeting whims of social media. Little do you know, there’s a story beneath the surface.


Dubai Chocolate gained immense attention after being flaunted by influencers all over social media and featured in advertisements for copycat chocolates around the world. It’s more than just a snack or dessert; it represents luxury and exclusivity. Suddenly, everyone wanted to get their hands on the gourmet chocolate with its rich flavour palette and signature paint splatter design on top, making it the coveted item of TikTok. With demand skyrocketing alongside prices, many wondered if it was even worth the hype.


Contrary to popular belief, Dubai Chocolate wasn’t actually the product of a large corporation or influencer sponsorship. It all began in 2021, when Sarah Hamouda, the British Egyptian founder of FIX Dessert Chocolatier, had an unexpected pregnancy craving. She craved something gooey, indulgent, and unique. Dissatisfied with the chocolate on the market, she brought it upon herself to create something one of a kind. Little did she know, this personal experiment would break the internet.


The fusion dessert is a delightful combination of decadent chocolate, delicious Middle Eastern knafeh, and velvety cheese layered with crunchy shredded filo pastry. This blend of modernity and tradition became Hamouda’s staple. In 2022, she proudly launched the chocolate at FIX under the name “Can’t Get Knafeh Of It,” inviting dessert lovers to experience a unique treat.


What really was the launching pad for the public eye was when Maria Vehera, a TikTok influencer, posted an ASMR video of herself enthusiastically crunching into the bar in late 2023, which quickly attracted 125 million views. Before long, everyone wanted a bite. The chocolate soon earned a catchier nickname, “Dubai Chocolate.”


The timing of Dubai Chocolate was also conveniently fitted with the broader market conditions at the time. Global cocoa prices soared to record highs in 2024 due to poor harvests in West Africa, a primary cocoa-sourcing region. Pressured by costs, the need for substitutes emerged, creating new combinations and options that excited consumers. Alternatives like pistachio-filled chocolate bars reduced the use of chocolate, becoming both a creative and strategic response to market pressures. Although Dubai Chocolate wasn’t designed to save costs, it illustrates how market conditions favour such innovations, and is a likely factor for the rise of copycat products. By tapping into the excitement around substitutes, Dubai Chocolate not only carved out its niche market but also influenced the wider chocolate market.


Even large companies like Lindt and Ulkner rushed to profit off the hype surrounding Dubai Chocolate, creating their own duplicates to sell in supermarkets and meet global demand. However, the race to imitate often lead to poor quality and safety breaches, tarnishing the reputation of the original product. Despite that, the impact of Dubai Chocolate on the UAE chocolate market continued to grow, achieving a value of $736 million in 2024 and record sales volume, despite its exclusivity and high prices. Dubai Duty Free in Dubai’s international airport (One of the two places you can directly get the original bars) sold over 1.2 million bars, generating $22 million in sales.


No one, not even the creator, would have dreamt of knafeh chocolate creating such a sensation. It really makes you wonder, why did Dubai Chocolate succeed where larger companies with more elaborate marketing plans have failed to go viral? Perhaps, even in today's era of mass production and over consumption, there is still hope for those small, humble companies focusing on quality to thrive in mass markets.


Exploring the origins of Dubai Chocolate has really changed my perception of trends. Initially, I saw it as just another short lived fad. However, the story of Dubai Chocolate reveals that not every trend is as superficial and fleeting as it seems - they can also embody rich cultural narratives and personal histories. This particular trend reminds us that just because something blew up on social media doesn’t automatically devoid it of meaning. After all, what could be more human than creating a treat to sate your food cravings? So, the next time something catches your eye, take a moment to dig deeper - you might just uncover an unexpected story.


Sources:

Gayatri, S. (2025, May 4). 'It was born to be a champion': How Dubai chocolate conquered the world. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250502-how-dubai-chocolate-conquered-the-world 


Cairns, R. (2024, June 18). Meet the woman behind Dubai’s viral super-chunky chocolate bar. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/dubai-viral-chocolate-bar-fix-hnk-spc 


Sharawneh, D. (2025, January 16). The Dubai chocolate phenomenon: How a chocolate bar broke the internet. Vogue Arabia. https://www.voguearabia.com/article/dubai-chocolate-phenomenon 


Smith, A. (2025, January 23). Dubai chocolate: A sweet sensation taking the world by storm. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/23/dining/dubai-chocolate-cant-get-knafeh-it.html 


Consumer deception with Dubai chocolate. (2025, October 5). Ground News. https://ground.news/article/dubai-chocolate-investigation-reveals-significant-deficiencies 




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© The Lion's Crest 2025
Opinion pieces only reflect the views of our writers. They do not represent King George V School or The Lion's Crest as a whole.

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