Popular Knafeh chocolate breaks global pistachio market

A trending chocolate bar, Can’t Get Knafeh Of It, crafted by the UAE-based artisanal brand FIX Dessert Chocolatier, has taken the world by storm following a significant disturbance in the global pistachio supply chain.

With increasing demand, shelled pistachios — the variety favoured for chocolates — have become so limited that retailers are resorting to rationing products that contain them. In the US, a poor harvest compelled producers to prioritise in-shell exports, further diminishing the availability of chocolate-quality kernels. Iran, the second-largest producer of pistachios globally, responded by boosting its exports to the UAE by 40% within six months.

The Financial Times quotes Giles Hacking of nut trader CG Hacking as saying that, in a matter of months, the cost of pistachios has surged from $7.65 per pound to $10.30 per pound.

This bar, which combines milk chocolate, kataifi pastry (the flaky, noodle-like strands found in knafeh), and pistachio cream, was initially developed in 2021 by British-Egyptian chocolatier Sarah Hamouda and her husband, Yezen Alani. It remained a niche indulgence until a single TikTok video in December 2023, which gained more than 120 million views, created global demand.

Major confectionery companies like Lindt and Läderach hurried to capitalise on the trend, launching their own pistachio-filled bars only to find themselves competing for the same shrinking nut supply.

While FIX continues to sell its original bar in limited quantities within the UAE, competing products have emerged worldwide, raising concerns for the brand regarding misleading consumers.