How Dubai’s Kunafa chocolate went viral and inspired a global trend
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably aware of how viral Dubai’s Kunafa chocolate has become. Experts suggest that this broad appeal marks the beginning of a great business opportunity.
Nobody is satisfied with a basic Cadbury chocolate bar these days. We like everything extra. From the way we travel to what we eat, there’s an added layer of luxury and innovation that we’ve started to enjoy, and Viral Kunafa Chocolates straight from Dubai speaks to our penchant for all things luxurious.
Kunafa chocolate, inspired by the beloved Middle Eastern dessert, has become the unexpected culinary star of 2024. Combining the sticky richness of pistachio praline with the crisp texture of kataifi pastry, these delicious treats have enchanted taste buds and Instagram feeds around the world.
What started as a niche product in Dubai has turned into a global phenomenon, with international brands jumping on the bandwagon and creating their own versions.
An Interesting Trip to Kunafa Chocolate
While kunafa is a traditional sweet of the Middle East, its journey as a chocolate began in Dubai, where a luxury chocolate brand created something new by combining the textures of crunchy kunafa and creamy filling.
In 2021, Sarah Hamouda founded Fix Dessert Chocolatier, offering a selection of chocolate treats and pastries that immediately attracted buyers. Today, it has become what you could call a global phenomenon. While their brand boasts of many flavors, such as Fudge Brownies with Crunchy Cereal, Crunchy Lotus Cheesecake and many more, it is the Kunafa Chocolate Bar that has gained popularity in all dimensions.
The interplay between the crunchy kunafa strands and the creamy pistachio filling mixed with chocolate created a texture and flavor combination that quickly became irresistible to foodies and influencers.
Social media played an important role in increasing the discussion. Food bloggers and dessert lovers from around the world were attracted to their novelty, driving demand far beyond the borders of Dubai.
According to Vikas Temani, founder of Paul and Mike’s Chocolates, visual storytelling on social media was important. “People couldn’t help but share videos of themselves enjoying the concoction of a product that looked as good as it tasted.”
Chef Varun Inamdar agrees. “The speed and scale at which it exploded on social media was astonishing. It’s a testament to how powerful visual storytelling and digital platforms are in shaping food trends today: the good, the bad, the ugly can all be debated in the same breath.
But, there was a catch.
Although chocolate attracted a lot of attention around the world, obtaining it was a challenge. Initially, Fix Dessert Chocolatier was only available in Dubai, with limited slots for ordering. People with access to Dubai bought the chocolate themselves or relied on relatives or friends visiting the Middle Eastern city to bring them back. Still, demand exceeded supply.
That’s when the idea of creating their own versions of viral chocolate came to the minds of people eager to taste or imitate something close to the original bar. It became popular so fast – so much so that many people saw it as a great business opportunity and took advantage of the trend brilliantly.
Global reinterpretation and brand innovation
It is very rare that Lindt, a chocolate-making royalty, would choose to replicate the tradition of traditional chocolate making or move away from making only milk. But they did it, perhaps because they saw the potential.
A spokesperson for Chocolatdefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli explains India Today“Our Lindt Maitre Chocolatiers always keep a close eye on the current trends and accordingly became aware of Dubai chocolate recipe trends on social media. Lindt Matres chocolatiers then adopted this flavor trend and developed their own recipes.
Lindt launches its limited edition Dubai-inspired pistachio chocolate bar on November 9, 2024. The chocolate bar was released in selected stores in Germany, with only 1,000 bars available. The launch was treated like a luxury product launch, with numbered tickets, taste-testing samples and limited access.
Speaking about this strategic move by Lindt, Vikas Temani says, “Lindt and other brands are probably doing this to expand into non-traditional markets. Europe, the US, Japan and Australia have been the bastions of premium chocolate, but now they are looking to enter markets like India, where there is a rich dessert culture. By redefining the global dessert as chocolate, they are making their products more relatable and accessible to this new audience. We are likely to see more of this trend in the future.”
In India, Paul and Mike of Temani have taken up the responsibility of introducing all Indians to the taste of this viral Turkish dessert.
“We are trying to ensure that it is a high quality product with properly roasted pistachios and a great balance of flavor. The combination of the crisp, crunchy texture with the melting chocolate creates an unforgettable mouthfeel that people crave after just one bite. That addictive experience certainly plays a role in the popularity of the trend. Additionally, the social media frenzy creates a feeling of FOMO, which only further drives demand,” says Temani.
And then, there are other Indian craft chocolate makers who are reinterpreting this sweet with an Indian twist, Chitram Craft Chocolates being one of them.
For Dr Arun Viswanathan of Chitram Craft Chocolates, kunafa is reminiscent of an Indian sweet, and he is working on a local version called “Dubai Return Chocolate”, which will also incorporate South Indian textures and Middle Eastern flavours.
“We’re reinterpreting kunafa with a base made from nool penne, a traditional vermicelli dessert, and adding saffron and rose for a unique Indian identity,” says Vishwanathan. Can launch its own “Dubai Return Chocolate”.
Ashmeet Singh Dua, founder of Zoccolatl in Hyderabad, recalls how he was inspired by the growing popularity of kunafa in India. “Kunafa was already a hit here, almost rivaling traditional favorites like Khubani Ka Meetha,” shares Dua. Recognizing an opportunity, he created a version of Kunafa chocolate that incorporated pistachio paste and katafi pastry obtained directly from abroad.
“When we launched in September, our social media reels went viral,” explains Dua. “The combination of textures was unlike anything people had tasted before. Bloggers shared it, and we got a flood of inquiries. That’s when we knew we had a winner.”
He noted that since its launch in September, Xocolatl has sold several thousand Kunafa chocolate bars.
Bengaluru-based chocolate brand Smoor is also set to launch its chocolate bar inspired by the viral sweet during Valentine’s Day.
Future
The success of this Middle Eastern-inspired dish has opened the door to more cross-cultural dessert innovations, but chef Varun Inamdar is somewhat skeptical about the longevity of this trend. “This is the Dalgona coffee of 2024,” he quipped. “Although it looks stunning and tastes delicious, I don’t think it will become a permanent fixture in the culinary world.”
However, Vikas Temani estimates, “Although it may not remain at its current high level, it will still find takers in the long run. People may not have it frequently, but they will look for it occasionally. This isn’t just a flash-in-the-pan trend; It is becoming a category of its own. Look at brands like Lindt—they have started investing heavily in this area. Such commitment shows that they see potential in this trend for the long term.
