Dubai Chocolate Bar Craze Is Now Being Blamed For A Global Pistachio Shortage

The viral Dubai chocolate bar has taken the confectionery world by storm, even inspiring Starbucks lattes and fast food shakes. Now, it’s being accused of causing an international pistachio kernel shortage. According to The Guardian, prices rose nearly 35% in 2024 due to increasing demand, impacting the nut markets in the U.S. and Iran, two of the countries that produce the most pistachios.

Inspired by the traditional Arab dessert knafeh, the Dubai chocolate bar is made with milk chocolate, pistachio cream, tahini, and crispy kataifi pastry. It became famous in 2023 thanks to a viral video by TikTok user Maria Vehera, who filmed herself tasting one — it currently has over 120 million views. UAE-based chocolatier Fix, the brand behind the pistachio-filled sweet, calls it the “Can’t Get Knafeh of It” chocolate bar. 

A surge in demand outside of the UAE has inspired brands like Lindt and Läderach to make replicas that have become popular in their own right. Faced with an international shortage of pistachio kernels, both brands now struggle to keep up with demand. Pistachio kernels, which are primarily grown in the U.S. and Iran, have increased in price from $7.65 to $10.30 a pound, as told to the Financial Times by nut trader CG Hacking.  

Last year, the U.S. had a smaller harvest, which was mostly sold as whole nuts in shells, further contributing to the kernel shortage. Nonetheless, Iran exported 40% more pistachio kernels to the UAE between October and March 2025 than in the 12 months prior, begging the question of how it will respond to the declining supply.