TikTok-fuelled craze for ‘Dubai chocolate’ sparks global pachio shortage | World News
A viral confectionery trend on TikTok is sending ripples through international nut markets, as demand for a pachio-filled chocolate bar — popularly dubbed “Dubai chocolate” — causes a worldwide shortage of kernels.
The sweet in question, crafted high-end Emirati chocolatier Fix and officially named Can’t Get Knafeh of It, cons of milk chocolate, kataifi pastry, and a rich pachio cream. First highlighted in a TikTok video late last year, the bar’s popularity exploded, with over 120 million views and countless imitations online.
As a result, pachio prices have jumped significantly — from ₹640 to ₹865 per pound (from $7.65 to $10.30) over the past year — according to nut trader Giles Hacking, speaking to the Financial Times. The surge has been compounded a smaller-than-usual harvest in the US, the world’s top exporter, and increased demand in the UAE, where Iranian pachio exports rose 40 per cent in just six months.
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The situation has left global chocolate makers scrambling. Swiss brand Läderach and even industry giant Lindt have both introduced pachio-filled offerings, only to find themselves unable to meet soaring demand. “It feels like it came out of nowhere,” said Charles Jandreau, general manager of the Prestat Group. “Suddenly you see it in every corner shop.”
Some retailers have begun rationing the number of bars customers can buy — a clear indication of how social media trends can now influence not just consumer choices, but agricultural supply chains.
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