Viral kunafa pistachio chocolate bar(Instagram)
Dubai’s viral pistachio Kunafa chocolate is no longer just a viral sensation on social media or a flavour adored by sweet-toothed fans around the world. The name Dubai chocolate has become a symbol of a new global economic trend with real-world consequences.
A recent Financial Times report revealed that the popularity of this treat has triggered a worldwide shortage of pistachios, driving up prices and straining supply chains.
The trend began in 2021 with the launch of the “Can’t Get Knafeh Of It” chocolate bar by Emirati brand FIX Dessert Chocolatier. Combining pistachio cream, crushed pretzels, and milk chocolate, the bar was created by British-Egyptian entrepreneur Sarah Hamouda and her husband Yezen Alani, inspired by Hamouda’s pregnancy cravings.
Its popularity skyrocketed in December 2023 after Dubai-based TikTok influencer Maria Vehera posted an ASMR video of herself enjoying the treat. The video quickly went viral, racking up over 120 million views.
As FIX does not currently export outside the UAE, demand for similar products surged globally, prompting chocolatiers and major brands—including Maison Samadi, Lindt, and Läderach—have all launched their own pistachio kunafa-inspired bars.
This unprecedented demand has placed immense pressure on the global pistachio market, which primarily relies on crops from the United States and Iran.
The price of pistachios has soared, rising from USD 7.95 to USD 10.30 per pound in just 12 months. “The world is currently experiencing a severe shortage of pistachios,” said Giles Hacking of nut trading company CJ Hacking, speaking to the Financial Times.
The situation has been worsened by a smaller-than-expected harvest in the US—currently the world’s largest pistachio exporter—and by increased consumption in the UAE, where Iranian pistachio imports surged by 40 percent in just six months.
This post was last modified on April 20, 2025 7:42 pm