Since December 2023, Dubai Chocolate has experienced a significant rise in popularity, transforming from a local treat in the United Arab Emirates into a viral sensation. The sweet treat that was once locally known has gained global recognition on all social media platforms. Made with a rich milk chocolate shell and filled with creamy pistachio butter and crispy kataifa, a traditional shredded pastry with deep roots in Middle Eastern desserts, this decadent chocolate bar has quickly captured the hearts of both the dessert and media worlds. With its unique taste and distinctive texture, dubai chocolate is a clear standout invention that has left foodies such as myself in complete and total awe. After more than two years of extreme popularity at the center of social media, it’s hard to overlook this tasty treat.
At the heart of this invention is entrepreneur Sarah Hamouda, who is the founder of the original Dubai Chocolate and of her business, Fix Dessert Chocolatier, a dessert company based in Dubai. Her inspiration to invent this delicious internet-famous treat was sparked by a pregnancy craving. As Hamouda tells it best in an interview with Falstaff Magazine, “The idea stemmed from a personal craving I had while pregnant with my second daughter. I was looking for something unique and fulfilling that I couldn’t find in typical desserts.”
At first, it wasn’t easy to predict that this new invention of hers would be so popular. When she first used social media, she did not expect to reach international consumers. To promote her desserts, she sent bars to several local influencers, hoping to spark excitement for her quirky invention. One of these influencers was Maria Vehera, who posted a review of the treat sitting in the front seat of her car. This video featuring her trying the Fix Dessert Chocolatier chocolate bar went viral in December of 2023 and now has over 122 million views. This became a major turning point in Hamouda’s career, with over 30,000 orders coming in from that singular video.
From that point on, social media was flooded with this Dubai Chocolate craze. From TikToks, Instagram Reels to YouTube Shorts, people globally have filmed ASMR videos, unboxings, reviews, and have even turned this “Dubai chocolate” flavor into cakes, cookies, brownies, cheesecakes and more. It’s fair to say that Dubai Chocolate has become more than just a dessert, but instead a lifestyle.
As the hype continued, international companies began to notice its rising popularity. Brands such as Trader Joe’s and Nuts Factory have made their own versions of the chocolate bar, and Costco sells the bar in bulk. Crumbl Cookies inspired a brownie-treat after the Dubai Chocolate flavor, and IHOP even came out with a Dubai Chocolate pancake stack to add to its rotating menu. All this evidence points to the fact that Dubai Chocolate has the ability to pull in immense amounts of money for several companies.
Nearly two years after Maria Vehera’s viral video featuring a review of the Dubai chocolate bar in her car, Dubai Chocolate has still been on the rise in popularity. This product is proof that the internet has the potential to turn one small thing into an international phenomenon. Whether Maria Vehera’s success was just coincidental and she posted her video at the right time, typed in the right hashtag, or said the right thing, it’s clear that social media is the best advertising tool to use in this day and age. The story of Dubai Chocolate is one that shows how companies should market and use the rise the internet to their advantage.
