Why the World Can’t Get ‘Knafeh’ of Dubai Chocolate
They say necessity isthe mother of invention– but sometimes, acraving does the trick.That is how the now-viral Dubaichocolate came to be. Focusedon satisfying her pregnancycravings, Sarah Hamouda, aBritish-Egyptian living in Dubai,created the chocolate bar withunique flavours in 2021. A yearlater, she and her husbandstarted developing the barcommercially for their homegrownbusiness, Fix Chocolates.
However, it was only inDecember 2023 that the producttook off when TikTok influencerMaria Vehara’s video trying outthe chocolate went viral. Thevideo (it now has over 122 millionviews) amassed over 30,000orders after going up. AlthoughHamouda’s product is still onlyavailable in Dubai and Abu Dhabi,it topped Deliveroo’s global tableof most popular orders last yearand is still selling out.
Although the original productwas dubbed ‘Can’t Get Knafeh ofit’, cleverly integrating knafeh (acheese-based dessert popular inMediterranean cuisine) as partof the product name, the term‘Dubai Chocolate’ quickly caughton owing to netizens’ knack fornaming trends and products thatare easy to remember. Otherchocolate brands – includingLindt and Lidl – were quick tojump on the bandwagon and asea of copycats emerged, offeringtheir own versions of the nowwidely sought Dubai Chocolate.The frenzy skyrocketed tounprecedented heights withretailers placing a two-bar limitfor customers and the pistachiomarket posting a global shortage.
Dubai Chocolate is a classicexample of creating an immersiveexperience – where a seeminglyregular product was portrayedby an influencer as a ‘satisfying’indulgence, feeding into the‘satisfying videos’ category.The reason the video stoodout can be attributed to variousfactors, including the ASMRfeel, which offers a strongersensory experience than anyreview video can offer. However,the standout feature of thechocolate bar is the productquality itself – which broughttogether a crunchy chocolateshell covering rich, creamy andgooey pistachio paste. Reviewershave commented on the overalltexture of the chocolate and itsstrong flavour from the first bite,reinforcing the fact that marketingalone does not cut it for a productunless its quality is substantiated.
Dubai chocolate may haveblown up thanks to social media,but what has kept people hookedis how hard it is to get your handson it. The original ‘Can’t GetKnafeh of It’ bar drops just twicea day – at two p.m. and five p.m.– and only through Deliverooin the UAE. That’s it. Fix makesabout 500 bars daily, and they aregone in minutes. The scarcity isnot just about supply – it’s part ofthe appeal. People want it morebecause they know they mightmiss it. Classic FOMO.
Part of the buzz is baked intothe name. People associateDubai with excess – gold-toppeddesserts, towering hotels, flashycars and malls that feel like moviesets. The same over-the-top vibeadds to giving Dubai chocolatethe exclusivity it has garnered.
Brands in Pakistan could takea page from the Dubai chocolateplaybook by realising that peopledon’t just buy products – theybuy stories and moments. It’s notabout adding glitter or slapping abuzzword on the packaging; it’sabout creating something peoplewant to talk about, chase after, andmaybe even miss out on. However,that doesn’t mean every campaignfor every product needs to havean over-the-top hype phase.Recognise whether the productallows for an exciting sensoryexperience, the level of involvementthe product offers, and whether ithas the potential to interest people.
The Dubai chocolate trend isnot just about a sweet tooth – it isa lesson in how desire is built. Itshows us that when you mix a clearstory, a little mystery, and a productthat delivers, people don’t just buyit – they obsess over it too. In amarket full of noise, the brands thatwin are the ones that know how tomake people feel something.
Alyan Khan-Yusufzai is anadvertising practitioner with over adecade of experience in multipleregional markets.