A TikTok video. One bite. 120 million views. And just like that, Dubai’s Kunafa chocolate has become the world’s most unlikely disruptor — not just in dessert trends but in the global pistachio market.
Released in 2021 by FIX Chocolatier, the then-infamous chocolate bar “Can’t Get Knafeh of It” softly blended nostalgia and innovation. Bringing together creamy pistachio filling, crushed pretzels, and silky milk chocolate, the bar was inspired by the classic Middle Eastern dessert Kunafa. But it wasn’t until December 2023 that it burst onto the international scene — courtesy of Dubai-based influencer Maria Vehera, whose ASMR video savouring the treat went viral.
From Viral Treat to Market Shake-Up
Since the video, however, the bar has transformed into more than a sweet fad. It’s a luxury fixation, a limited-edition gem sold for only two hours a day in the UAE. That scarcity only piqued global appetites. Chocolate brands Lindt and Läderach soon followed suit, launching their own pistachio-laden versions — and that’s when the pistachio panic set in.
Already shaken by weak 2023 crops, the pistachio industry was stretched to the breaking point. Prices have risen from $7.65 to $10.30 per pound in less than a year, and demand keeps exceeding supply. “The pistachio world is tapped out,” nut traders say.
A Nutty Global Impact
The leading pistachio exporter, the United States, had a smaller harvest last year. That left a void which the second-largest exporter, Iran, has moved in to take. Its exports of pistachios to the UAE have grown by 40%, showing just how far this chocolate phenomenon has shifted global trade.
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But even at premium prices, demand has not fallen. Stores are restricting customer purchases, and premium versions of the Kunafa chocolate — such as Lindt’s £10 bar — remain flying off the shelves.
The Fix Effect
FIX, the founder, refers to it as “a movement in chocolate.” With sparse distribution and cult-like popularity, their Kunafa bar has altered not just our perception of dessert but also the way that food trends around the world can percolate out into agriculture, trade, and pricing.
What started as a niche item is now a cultural phenomenon — evidence that in the TikTok era, a chocolate bar can move markets, drain nut stocks, and still leave us wanting more.
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