While on vacation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last week, I had only one desire - to get my hands on the "Dubai chocolate bar" that has gone viral.
If you're on TikTok, you've probably seen this chocolate bar.
It is a combination of chocolate, pistachio and tahini flavors, mixed with kadaif noodles, inspired by the traditional Arabic dessert called knafe or kunefe.
The original version, called Can't Get Knafeh of It, is the work of chocolate manufacturer FIX and will be sold exclusively in the United Arab Emirates from 2022.
It has become so popular on social media that it is only sold for two hours a day, and stocks often sell out within minutes.
However, copies of the sweet, known as "Dubai chocolate", have now appeared in retail chains across the United Kingdom (UK), including Waitrose (waitrose), Lidl and Morrisons (Morrisons), and some limit the number of chocolate bars that customers can buy at once.
Jezen Alani, who founded the FIX brand with his wife Sarah Hamouda, told the BBC that the attention Dubai chocolate is attracting around the world is "flattering" and that they are "honoured" by it.
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Hamuda first came up with the idea of making a chocolate bar back in 2021, when she craved those specific flavors during her pregnancy.
The following year, Alani and Hamouda began developing the product, while simultaneously working their full-time jobs.
"Sara and I grew up in the UK and moved to Dubai 10 years ago, so we have both Western and Arab roots."
“We wanted to create flavors that reflected that,” explains Alani.
This chocolate bar is attractive partly because of its exclusivity, as it cannot be purchased in a store, but can only be ordered through a food delivery app.
The chocolate bar costs around £15 (around €17,3) and can only be purchased during certain hours so that the manufacturer can fulfill all orders.
In numerous stores across the region, I saw similar chocolate bars, the packaging of which bore the words "Dubai chocolate" and pictures of pistachios and kadaif noodles.
Alani says that “copycats” are very frustrating, as people try imitations that damage their brand’s reputation.
One of the reasons why the chocolate bar has become so popular is social media, especially video by TikTok user Marija Vehera from 2023, which is cited as key to the breakthrough of this candy.
Vehera was filmed trying this chocolate bar for the first time, along with several other varieties from the same manufacturer.
Nearly seven million users of this app liked the video.
The look of the chocolate bar is made for social media - from the distinctive orange and green dots on the smooth milk chocolate, to the crunchy sound when it breaks.
The combination of chocolate and pistachios is nothing new, but what sets this chocolate bar apart is the crunchy filling - thin kadaif noodles that give the chocolate a specific texture and make it richer.
Since it is a chocolate bar Can't Get Knafeh of It only available in the UAE, other manufacturers have started selling their own versions in the UK.
Among them is the Swiss chocolate factory Lindt, whose "Dubai chocolate" is sold for 10 pounds (about 11,5 euros).
Supermarket chain Waitrose says that after putting the chocolate bar on sale, it had to limit purchases to two bars per customer to ensure a steady supply.
Another version of the chocolate is being sold in a British chain Home Bargains, and Lidl offers its own version at a price of £4,99 (around €5,75) and also limits the number of pieces per customer.
One The influencer recorded how chocolate bars are even kept behind the cash register in some stores, precisely because of the high demand.
After trying the Lindt version and a few others from local stores, I can say that the difference is quite obvious.
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FIX chocolate bar is advertised as a "dessert" and must be kept in the refrigerator, as it has a short shelf life, like many other dairy products.
This is not the case with other versions, which have a longer shelf life.
The difference is noticeable in both taste and texture.
The original chocolate bar is almost twice as wide as the Lindt version, which is more adapted in size and shape to a standard chocolate bar.
@naraazizasmith this was interesting😭 #fyp シ #dubaichocolate #tastetest #marriage #momtok #dessert #treat
♬ original sound - Nara Smith
When Alani and Hamuda were just starting out, they hired a person who processed six to seven orders a day.
However, thanks to their popularity on TikTok, they now have 50 employees who deliver around 500 orders a day.
A topic that is often discussed is the high price of a chocolate bar, which costs 15 pounds (about 17,3 euros).
“Each one is handmade, and each chocolate bar is individually decorated,” says Alani.
"We use top-quality ingredients, and the process itself is unlike other chocolates - we boil the chocolate and shape it to the design, and as for the filling... even the pistachios are hand-picked and processed."
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We all love and enjoy it, but do you know what the history of chocolate was like 🍫🤔 pic.twitter.com/m32hHYaiQn
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In an interview for a weekly business magazine Arabian Business Last year, Hamuda said: "My mother made knafe, and I wanted to convey that in my own way.
"The knafe was the first flavor we perfected, and the crunch, the pistachios - everything had to be absolutely perfect," she added.
Despite his great success, Alani admits that "the journey has been difficult," as he and his wife have grown their business while raising two young children.
"There were times when we wanted to give up.
"But we told each other that we would continue as long as we could pay the rent, and now we don't regret it, because it was all worth it."
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