Dubai Chocolate Takes Pistachios Off Shelves

Thursday 24 April 2025 08:04
Dubai Chocolate Takes Pistachios Off Shelves

A simple video on TikTok sparked a global crisis: the "Dubai Chocolate", an artisanal dessert with pistachio cream and kataifi paste, went viral with more than 120 million views. This popularity caused a surge in demand for pistachios, leading to an international shortage and rising prices.


Dubai Chocolate: the viral dessert that conquered (and emptied) the world

Born in 2021 from the creativity of the Emirati pastry shop Fix Dessert Chocolatier, Dubai Chocolate is an elegant and sophisticated dessert capable of seducing at first taste. Its unique combination of milk chocolate, pistachio cream, and kataifi paste creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures that has quickly won millions of fans worldwide.

The real boom came in December 2023, when a video on TikTok turned this dessert into a global viral trend. Within weeks, the dedicated hashtag surpassed 120 million views, triggering out-of-control demand. The result? Pastry shops and gourmet boutiques emptied in a matter of days, and an unprecedented pistachio rush.


Dubai Chocolate's effect on the pistachio market

The dizzying popularity of Dubai Chocolate has not stopped in the kitchens of food bloggers: it has engulfed the entire agribusiness supply chain. The demand for pistachios, fueled by the viral success of the dessert on social media, has reached record levels, putting producers in serious difficulty. In many countries, there are already the first concrete signs of stock shortages, with knock-on consequences for markets and prices.

What at first glance might appear to be a simple gastronomic fad is actually symbolic of a deeper transformation. The Dubai Chocolate has become a prime example of how a digital trend can evolve into a global cultural and commercial phenomenon: capable of disrupting supply chains, altering consumption and redefining the economic balance of entire production sectors.


Pistachios in crisis: when virality reprograms the food industry

With pistachio prices soaring and global stocks under pressure, the food sector faces an unprecedented challenge. It is no longer just climatic factors or traditional market dynamics that influence the availability of raw materials, but also digital virality, which is now crucial in shaping consumption.

In an age when a video can reach millions of users in a matter of hours, supply chains must be increasingly flexible and responsive. The inability to anticipate or accommodate these sudden trends risks leaving entire sectors without essential raw materials, as is happening with pistachios.


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Sources

The Guardian - TikTok trend for 'Dubai chocolate' causes international shortage of pistachios
The Independent - Dubai chocolate TikTok trend triggers international pistachio shortage and price hikes

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DanieleDaniele
Every day I immerse myself in the world of cooking, looking for new recipes and flavors to share: from grandma's dish to the latest food trends. I have been working in food communication for over 10 years!