Viral Dubai Chocolate Craze Triggers Pistachio Shortage

Post by: Layla Badr

A chocolate treat that became popular on social media is now affecting the global economy—especially for pistachios. The chocolate, known as “Dubai chocolate,” went viral last year and has become so popular that people all over the world are now trying to get their hands on it. Because this sweet treat is made using pistachios, the demand for pistachios has gone up so much that there's now a global shortage.

The original Dubai chocolate was first launched in 2021 by a small Emirati chocolate brand named FIX. They named it Can’t Get Knafeh of It, which is a fun play on the name of a traditional Arab dessert called knafeh. Even though the chocolate was around since 2021, it wasn’t until a TikTok video went viral in December 2023 that people everywhere started talking about it. That video has now been watched more than 120 million times!

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Because of the viral video, more and more people started wanting pistachio chocolate. This sudden rise in demand caused pistachio prices to increase sharply. According to nut expert Giles Hacking from CG Hacking, pistachio prices have gone up from $7.65 per pound last year to about $10.30 per pound now.

Even though the original Dubai chocolate is only sold in small amounts and mostly in the UAE, the internet trend has led to many similar versions being made in different countries. People around the world are making and selling their own versions, hoping to join the craze.

FIX, the company that made the original chocolate, said they were happy to see how popular their creation had become. But they’re also worried that others might be using their name and idea to trick customers.

Adding to the problem, this year’s pistachio crop in the US—the world’s largest pistachio exporter—was smaller than usual. At the same time, Iran (the second-largest pistachio producer) has been exporting 40% more pistachios in just six months than it did during the entire previous year.

Big chocolate companies like Lindt and Läderach have tried to launch their own pistachio chocolates too, but even they are struggling to meet the high demand. In some places, shops have started limiting how many pistachio chocolate bars people can buy, because the supply is so low.

Until the pistachio supply improves, both chocolate lovers and chocolate makers will have to be patient.

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