Oman today_ The widespread popularity of the pistachio-filled chocolate known as “Dubai Chocolate” on social media has led to a surge in demand for the product, resulting in a global pistachio shortage. This phenomenon began thanks to a glowing video that was posted on TikTok in late 2023, which garnered over 120 million views. Following that, several other videos featuring the chocolate also went viral, all with millions of views. This trend has caused a sharp increase in demand and a global pistachio shortage.
The United States and Iran are recognized as the world’s largest pistachio producers, and last year, due to a poor harvest in the U.S., the price of pistachios increased. However, with the rise of Dubai Chocolate, the price of this product has soared significantly. Additionally, from the six-month period leading to March 2025, pistachio exports from Iran to the United Arab Emirates have increased by 40% compared to the previous year.
Giles Hacking from the trading company “Cigi Hacking” stated that the price of a pound (0.45 kg) of pistachios has risen from $7.65 to $10.30 over the past year. These changes are largely due to the growing demand for Dubai Chocolate, which is produced by the luxurious Emirati chocolate company “Fix.” This chocolate is a blend of milk chocolate, a famous pastry dough known as Kadaif, and creamy pistachio filling.
Dubai Chocolate, which is only available in the United Arab Emirates, was introduced to the market with the clever slogan “Can’t Get Knafeh of It.” This slogan combines the well-known phrase “Can’t Get Enough of It,” meaning “you can’t get enough of it,” with “Knafeh,” a traditional Middle Eastern dessert, adding more appeal to the product.
The unprecedented popularity of Dubai Chocolate has prompted global chocolate brands like “Lindt” and “Ladurée” to quickly produce their versions of it. However, these brands are now facing challenges in meeting global demand. Charles Jandro, CEO of the British chocolate company “Prestat,” stated that the demand for Dubai Chocolate has been so overwhelming that “it shocked the market” and added, “It seemed to come out of nowhere, and suddenly it’s everywhere.”