Viral Dubai Chocolate Craze: How a Viral TikTok Treat Sparke

In the ever-evolving world of viral food trends, few have made waves quite like Dubai chocolate. This indulgent treat has not only taken TikTok by storm, but it’s also singlehandedly sparked a global pistachio shortage, caused chocolate prices to rise, and even nudged beloved brands like Toblerone off UK shelves.

So what exactly is Dubai chocolate, and why has it created such a delicious disaster?

What Exactly Is Dubai Chocolate?

Dubai chocolate, officially known as the Pistachio Kataifi Chocolate Bar, is the signature treat from boutique Emirati chocolatier FIX Dessert Shop. It was first launched in 2021 and is inspired by a traditional Middle Eastern dessert with a modern twist.

Ingredients That Make It Magic

The Dubai chocolate bar is a layered experience:

Kataifi: A shredded phyllo pastry, similar to what you'd find in knafeh or baklava, bringing a satisfying crunch.
Pistachio cream: Lusciously smooth and packed with flavor.
Milk chocolate shell: Rich, velvety, and perfectly sweet.

FIX cheekily named their viral creation “Can’t Get Knafeh of It”, which pays tribute to knafeh, a beloved Middle Eastern dessert.

This East-meets-West delight offers a texture and flavor profile that’s both nostalgic and fresh—crispy, nutty, and creamy, all wrapped in velvety chocolate.

From Dubai to Everywhere: The Viral Explosion

Though the bar enjoyed modest success after its launch, its real breakout moment came in December 2023, when a TikTok video featuring the chocolate bar garnered over 120 million views.

That’s when the floodgates opened—and the pistachio world was never the same again.

TikTok fueled the Dubai chocolate trend into a worldwide craze.
The video inspired people to hunt down the original or get their hands on copycat versions.
The sensory appeal—crunch, cream, and chocolate—made it irresistible.

Why Is Everyone Obsessed?

It’s not just hype—Dubai chocolate is legit delicious. Here’s what makes it irresistible:

Here’s why the Dubai chocolate bar became a must-try treat:

Crunchy and Creamy Fusion: The shredded kataifi pastry provides a delightful crunch, while the pistachio cream adds a rich, nutty flavor, perfectly balanced by the milk chocolate coating. This combination of textures and flavors created a truly unique multisensory experience.
Cultural Inspiration: The chocolate is inspired by Knafeh, a traditional dessert enjoyed throughout the Middle East, known for its delicate balance of sweetness and crunch. The bar offers a modern twist on this beloved treat, making it not just a dessert but a cultural experience.
Exclusivity: Despite its viral success, FIX only sells the original bars in Dubai and limits sales to just two hours a day. This scarcity adds to its appeal, making it a rare and sought-after treat for those outside the UAE.

It’s the kind of thing that makes people say, “TikTok made me do it,” and suddenly every corner shop and luxury chocolatier is scrambling to offer their version.

Why Is Dubai Chocolate So Expensive?

Even before global chaos ensued, Dubai chocolate was on the pricier side. Why?

Craftsmanship: It takes serious chocolate-making expertise and labor to build the delicate layers.
Premium ingredients: High-quality pistachios and fine chocolate don’t come cheap.
Import costs: The original bar isn’t exported—FIX only sells it in Dubai, and only for two hours a day.

Pistachio Panic: The Supply Crunch No One Saw Coming

As demand surged, so did the global appetite for pistachios—a little too fast for supply chains to handle. According to Giles Hacking of CG Hacking & Sons, “The pistachio world is basically tapped out at the moment.”

Here’s how the dominoes fell:

Price Surge: As demand for pistachios skyrocketed, the price of pistachio kernels surged from around $7.65 per pound to over $10.30 per pound in under a year. This increase was driven by the global scramble for pistachio kernels to make chocolate bars like Dubai chocolate, leaving suppliers struggling to meet demand.
Supply shortage: The pistachio world was already dealing with a dwindling supply due to a poor harvest in the United States—the world’s largest pistachio exporter. This combined with the growing global demand for pistachios caused a strain on the market. The high-quality crop that did grow went to luxury goods, leaving fewer cheap kernels for mass products.
Iran’s Role: Iran, the second-largest pistachio producer, saw a 40% increase in its pistachio exports to the UAE in the six months between September 2024 and March 2025 compared to the previous year. This surge was a direct result of the booming demand for Dubai chocolate.
Byproduct boom: In 2023, surplus pistachios led to a rise in byproducts like pistachio butter and paste, which laid the groundwork for the Dubai chocolate trend to explode.

Now, the green nut has become so hot that major chocolatiers and grocery chains are fighting for every last kernel.

Knock-Offs, Luxury Launches & Shortages Galore

The original FIX bar may be limited to Dubai, but that hasn’t stopped the rest of the world from chasing the trend.

Here’s how the craze is showing up:

Prestat Group in the UK is struggling to even source kataifi pastry, as popularity of the shredded filo explodes.
Wm Morrison launched pistachio cream Easter eggs in response to demand.

Läderach, the Swiss chocolatier, said demand is “going through the roof.”
Lindt’s bar: Priced at £10 for 145g, more than double the cost of their typical chocolate.
Lidl’s take: Budget-friendly alternative at £4.99, bringing the trend to the masses.
Retail rationing: Some stores are limiting how many Dubai-style bars customers can buy.

And the trend hasn’t stopped at chocolate bars—dessert makers everywhere are scrambling for pistachio cream, kataifi pastry, and Middle Eastern-inspired spins on classic confections.

Not Just Pistachios: Cocoa Crunch Adds Pressure

The pistachio shortage isn’t happening in a vacuum. The chocolate industry is also dealing with a cocoa supply crisis:

Cocoa prices have nearly tripled in 2024 due to extreme weather and crop disease. According to the Office for National Statistics, chocolate prices in the UK rose by 13.6% by March 2025.
As a result, chocolate makers are: Producing smaller bars, using new recipes with less cocoa and charging more for the same sweet fix.

Farewell to Old Favorites: Toblerone Gets the Chop

One of the most surprising effects of this chocolate revolution? The discontinuation of Toblerone in the UK.

That’s right—Toblerone, the iconic triangular chocolate, has been pulled from shelves. According to parent company Mondelēz, the decision came due to “changing tastes.”

As Brits flock to new indulgences like Dubai chocolate, older treats are fading fast.

Toblerone isn’t alone:

Nestlé’s Breakaway bars were dropped due to declining sales.
Milky Way Crispy Rolls were axed in 2022, though later re-released with Twix and Bounty-inspired versions.
Mars Delight, Cadbury Dream, and Rowntree’s Texan have also joined the chocolate graveyard.

The iconic triangular bar was recently discontinued in the UK, partly due to changing tastes—and the viral allure of new favorites like Dubai chocolate.

It’s a new era in the chocolate world—and pistachio is king.

Final Crumbs: A Dessert Revolution in Real Time

From a local dessert shop in Dubai to the global stage, Dubai chocolate has become more than a treat—it’s a movement. It’s changed how people shop, how chocolatiers craft their products, and even how nuts are priced worldwide.

Here’s what we’ve learned:

A single viral video can flip an entire market on its head.
TikTok isn’t just shaping trends—it’s rewriting supply chains.
The bar’s pistachio-packed formula triggered a worldwide nut shortage.
Pistachios are now the most coveted ingredient in confectionery.
Even legendary chocolates like Toblerone aren’t safe from the flavor revolution.