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Muscat Daily

Oman yet to get acquainted with Dubai chocolate

'Dubai chocolate' is a chocolate bar filled with pistachio and knafeh – a traditional Arabic dessert – that instantly became a rage in the gulf and has now gained popularity in other parts of the world. First created in 2021 by Fix Desserts chocolatier, which branded it as 'Can't Get Knafeh of It', this product, however, has not yet made any dent in Oman As foodies and chocolate connoisseurs have had enough of the experiments with 'fruit n nut', orange, red chilli, basil, mint, and even hints of frankincense in chocolate bars, here comes an innovative venture from Arabia, of enclosing milk chocolate with a sumptuous filling of pistachios and Knafeh – the popular Arabic dessert made with spun pastry dough. What began as a combination of pistachio, knafeh, and milk chocolate to satisfy Fix Desserts' chocolatier Sarah Hamouda's pregnancy cravings has now evolved into a chocolate bar worth millions of dollars, propelling the family-business to expand exponentially in ways they couldn't imagine. After a viral influencer campaign by TikTok influencer Maria Vehera gathered millions of views from followers now yearning for a bite, the world affectionately gave it the nickname of 'Dubai chocolate'. The name can be seen as an ode to the place of origin of this chocolate as well as a celebration of the Middle East cuisine. Though popular in Dubai, the chocolate bar – which doesn't bear the name 'Dubai Chocolate' – went viral internationally from late 2023 through to 2024 when it was promoted online by influencers and social media personalities. After multiple popular videos, a surge in demand led to 30,000 online orders, briefly crashing the Fix Desserts chocolatier delivery platform. So if you are looking out for 'Dubai Chocolate', look for the title – 'Can't Get Knafeh of It'. In Oman, the demand for this product is picking up as retailers as well as consumers are yet coming to terms with this new chocolate that offers a welcome deviation from what other chocolate brands offer. Muscat Daily checked out the propularity of this chocolate among young consumers in the capital. Students from The National University of Science and Technology (NUST) like Maryam al Saadi, Pooja Mathiarasan, Ishaan Gupta and Muhammad Osman felt that the price for the authentic Dubai chocolate is too expensive and generally, inaccessible in Oman. Some students from Muscat University, like Deema al Mamari, assert, 'I haven't tried the chocolate from Fix Desserts, but a similar one I tried from Oman was too sweet for me.' The taste of the pistachio filling seemed unauthentic, she said. Fatima Amri, another student from NUST, said, 'I haven't tasted Dubai chocolate, but I'd recommend getting chocolate from shops like Le Chocola because I prefer the taste of slightly bitter dark chocolates.' Ahmed al Tamibi from Muscat University added, 'I have not seen this product yet in supermarkets in Muscat. However, every culture has products we grow more attached to, even if it is a product you may not enjoy as much. I personally enjoy the taste of Al Nassma chocolates because of how they use camel milk to enhance the flavour of its products.' This demand for chocolates from local brands has unintentionally brought light to a discrepancy caused by the demand and supply of these bars to the wider public. Especially when stores like KM, Spar and Lulu Hypermarkets promote and carry other brands like Galaxy, Bounty, Cadbury, Lindt and Hershey's because of their widely recognisable brand names and the wide array of popular flavours they provide for Chocolate enthusiasts in Oman. Retail Manager of KM Trading, Dinesh Nair clarifies 'We tend to place chocolates from brands like Kit-Kat, Galaxy and M&M near the cash counters as these are the brands that are popular amongst younger children and families. We try to increase their visibility in these areas, as they are smaller bars which are easier to miss in our regular chocolate and confectionary aisles.' An assistant store manager at a Lulu Hypermarket outlet explained, 'Recently, we started to promote Pistachio-Kunafa chocolates from brands like Choco Lake which is a popular brand from UAE, to give our customers special access to this kind of trendy chocolate that is too expensive to purchase otherwise. The quantity over quality model proves a big barrier for local Omani chocolatiers to be carried in these supermarket chains as their focus is to create a culturally enriching experience with their products.' The market is, however, seeing a proliferation of lower quality imitations of the Dubai chocolate. But, Omani chocolatiers and consumers alike are not concerned over it. Instead, they wish to remain authentic to their culture by sharing their rich flavors with the rest of Oman. Salma al Hajri, business owner of Salma's Chocolates, said, 'As we are a proud Omani company, we wish to share a piece of Oman with the rest of the world by combining past flavours in each season with the present to make new flavours that chocolate lovers around the world can appreciate.' This sentiment is echoed in similar shops, such as the employees in Fuala Chocolate, who believe in improving the experience customers have with their brand through their special attention to aroma and visual appeal of their chocolates to reflect the values of hospitality that is associated with the people of Oman. Owner of Prestige Chocolate, Khawla al Bahri claims, 'Even if people like me prefer local Omani brands of chocolate, we settle with imported products because we feel like the Omani brands are not as well-known. That is why, when I started the company in 2015, I wanted to give people good custom-engraved chocolates that they can enjoy for any occasion. We currently sell them in a variety of fillings like Pistachio, Hazelnut and Saffron as those flavors are associated with other food we enjoy, like Halwa and other nutty sweets.' From customisable chocolates that have consumer's names written on the chocolate to Chips Oman and Halwa-flavoured chocolate bars that capture the culinary extravagance of Omani cuisine, these brands continue to grow and flourish within the country. Reshaping the nation's perspective of success within the confectionary industry is something that cannot be quantified or easily replicated through cheap imitations but as something sweet that brings consumers together for their love of their own culture and their love of chocolates. Capitalising on popularity Jumping in to make hay while the Sun shines is The Turkish Delight Mediterranean Sweetery, a family-owned and run business that began as a successful pop-up stall at the Central Market in Adelaide (Australia) in 2016. This confectionary has been dedicated to serving up authentic Mediterranean treats to Adelaide's sweet-tooths from their brick-and-mortar location on Rundle Street while shipping nationwide. The store, run by the mother-son duo of Mona and Mohammad Hassan, has now added another delectable treat to their arsenal by bringing 'Dubai chocolate' to the hungry foodies of Adelaide. When you visit their stall at the Adelaide Central Market, you won't miss the new 3-tier silver platter tower covered in pristinely wrapped chocolate bars that have been branded as 'Dubai Chocolates', indeed! So, whether you're a chocolate connoisseur, someone who simply appreciates fine things, or someone eager to try something new, this Dubai's viral chocolate is a must-try for those visiting Adelaide who are probably unaware that this sweetery has created a new product inspired by the original and branded it with the popular nickname. Though deceptive, this venture has instantly struck a chord with buyers in Adelaide Central Markets at The Turkish Delight Mediterranean Sweetery at Stall 8. (Contributed by: Ishita Shetty)