Retail

The chocolate taking South Africa by storm

Kirsten Minnaar • 12 October 2025

The international sensation, Dubai chocolate, is taking South Africa by storm as companies tap into the dessert’s popularity.

Some consumers have spent upwards of R1,000 to get a taste of the viral sweet, but with its rising popularity, South Africans now have more easy, affordable access to the chocolate bar.

Dubai chocolate is milk chocolate bars filled with a blend of pistachio cream, tahini (sesame paste), and crispy knafeh pastry.

The idea for Dubai chocolates came from British Egyptian Sarah Hamouda, the founder of Dubai-based FIX Dessert Chocolatier.

“FIX started simply because I had a crazy craving while I was pregnant with my second daughter,” Hamouda explained.

She would send her husband to get her different desserts and chocolates from Dubai, but nothing seemed to give her the “fix” she wanted.

“I wanted something different, nostalgic flavours my mother used to make for us, such as the knafeh,” she said. Knafeh is a traditional Arab dessert made with crispy, stringy kadayif pastry, with a sweet and savoury cheese filling in the centre.

So, in 2021, the idea for FIX was born. It took around a year to perfect the branding, flavours and the company’s vision.

Finally, in 2022, the brand had a really small, online launch. One of their products, which featured knafeh, was a handmade chocolate bar called ‘Can’t Get Knafeh Of It’.

Although the company started small, everything changed when, in December 2023, TikTok influencer Maria Vehera posted a video of herself trying the chocolate bar.

The video drew in over 125 million views, and drew the attention of audiences worldwide who were determined to taste what they dubbed “Dubai chocolate”.

Soon, social media was filled with people tasting the viral chocolate bar, sharing recipes and recreations and giving reviews.

Other dessert makers also jumped on the bandwagon, making their own versions of the chocolate or crafting new recipes featuring the sweet.

Dubai chocolates take over South Africa

South Africans, too, were intrigued by the viral dessert. In 2024, FIX made its Dubai chocolate bars available to South Africans.

The only problem was that the luxury dessert went for R1,000. Even though competitors also arrived in South Africa soon after, their chocolates also retailed at prices most South Africans could not afford.

For example, in late 2024, Turkish chocolate manufacturer Blind Chocolate started selling its own version of the viral chocolate at Dis-Chem, with a 200 g bar retailing for R399.99.

Even though many South Africans took to social media to complain about the high price, the desire to try this treat did not dissipate.

Retailers and manufacturers started jumping on the trend, hoping for a piece of the Dubai chocolate goldmine.

On Friday, 2 May, Lindt officially launched its Dubai-style chocolate in South Africa. The retail prices are as follows –

R89 for a 40 g bar
R249 for a 145 g milk slab
R299 for 90 g pralines

However, by 4 May, a mere two days after launching, Lindt announced that the range had sold out. “Due to unprecedented demand, our entire stock of the new Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate has sold out,” the company said.

“But don’t worry – we’re working hard to bring it back soon, so whether you missed out or are craving more, you’ll have another chance to enjoy this deliciously indulgent treat.”

Not long after, the chocolates were back on the shelves, and can still be purchased at Woolworths and Lindt stores in South Africa. Other retailers, like Makro, Takealot, Biltong Boytjies, and Sweetie Shop, now all stock Dubai chocolates.

Recently, coffee company Jacobs launched Dubai chocolate-style cappuccino sachets, featuring Arabian-inspired notes of pistachio, saffron, and cardamom.

“Coffee culture is evolving. Consumers are looking for indulgent, sensory-led products that feel special and shareable,” said JDE marketing lead Hayley van Niekerk.

“Jacobs Dubai Chocolate was created in response to this shift, a flavour that speaks to younger audiences and the global move towards premiumisation.”

On a wider scale, this also signals that the popularity of Dubai chocolate may still have much room for growth, despite global virality starting to subside.