In recent weeks, there’s been a lot of record-breaking traffic at Dubai International Airport (DXB), and one of the surprising data points is this: It comes as tourists are spending Dhs1m a day on one item – Dubai chocolate from FIX Dessert Chocolatiers.
A viral sweet treat sold for more than Dhs28 million in April along representing over 4 per cent of total monthly sales, which reached Dhs713 million, Dubai Duty Free said. Sales of the chocolate hit new records following a surge in travel in April thanks to Eid Al Fitr, Easter, and the Arabian Travel Market.
A heavenly pistachio cream and shredded kunafa filling, the now iconic Dubai chocolate bar is so rich in Middle Eastern flavor, its gone viral across social media. Because of its visually appealing layers, it has seen plenty of exposure on Instagram and TikTok food content, driving demand for the nomad.
A wave of imitators was triggered, but the treat was originally created by FIX Dessert Chocolatiers. All that said, the original bar is exclusive to Deliveroo in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and had a brief pop-up stint in Terminal 3 before the Eid rush caused the stand to shut down.
Expedia’s travel experts reported in 2024 tourists were flying just to Dubai to try the dessert and this global lure. When it comes to chocolate, it is now a must have in Dubai — like perfumes, exclusive beverages, gold — at DXB making it the modern day souvenir.
As Dubai Duty Free continues to flourish, FIX’s viral chocolate has gone from a snack to, in some ways, a part of the Dubai experience.
