UK supermarket Waitrose rations viral Dubai chocolate

Overwhelming response to limited stocks of Lindt version leads to limit of two bars a customer

The kunafa-inspired chocolate was created in Dubai, but has been mimicked my manufacturers around the world. Getty Images

UK supermarket chain Waitrose has introduced a cap on the number of bars of Dubai-style chocolate customers can buy.

The pistachio-packed treat, which originated in Dubai but has been mimicked by many manufacturers, became a viral sensation as social media users, food lovers and content creators shared videos of the oozing chocolate bars. One TikTok video showing the kunafa-inspired treat has been viewed more than 90 million times.

Fix Dessert Chocolatier, founded by British-Egyptian entrepreneur Sarah Hamouda, began the craze for the chocolate named Can’t Get Knafeh of It in 2021. Swiss chocolatier Lindt created its own version and introduced a limited run of the £10 ($12) bars in some UK stores in December, with the product selling out quickly.

After it returned to stores on March 23, Waitrose has decided to limit purchases to two bars for every customer.

It has installed signs in stores reading: “Lindt Dubai-style chocolate: no more than two bars per person please … because we want everyone to have the chance to enjoy this delicious chocolate. Thanks for your understanding.”

The move was highlighted by Steve Dresser, chief executive of the consultancy firm Grocery Insight, who shared an image of the label on LinkedIn saying “selling out is sometimes a good thing”.

He said Morrisons first capitalised on the trend in the UK, followed by Lindt and Lidl.

While Waitrose had introduced a limit, Sainsbury’s has not, he added. “Trying to generate scarcity perhaps?”

However, Waitrose insisted it was trying to regulate stock. More of the chocolate bars are expected to arrive next week.

“Due to the incredible popularity of this product, we want to make sure that as many customers as possible have the opportunity to try it,” a Waitrose spokesman told industry magazine The Grocer.

Lindt executives previously said it was getting involved with Dubai-style chocolate to show the nearly 180-year-old Swiss chocolatier can expand the boundaries of an industry largely dominated by European companies. Lindt UK & Ireland chief executive Joel Burrows described the response as “overwhelming”.

Battle for control of the “Dubai chocolate” market has resulted in court action in Germany, as retailers look to cash-in on demand. One German businessman selling €30 ($30.80) bars of chocolate “handmade in Dubai” secured a legal win this year when a court banned supermarket chain Aldi from selling a version made in Turkey.

Meanwhile, a woman who arrived at Hamburg airport had 90kg of luxury Dubai kunafa chocolate confiscated by customs officials because it was subject to hundreds of euros in import duties.