The rapid rise of Dubai chocolate as a viral sensation has sparked an unexpected global pistachio shortage, revealing the tangible impacts of social media-driven food trends on supply chains and commodity markets. This phenomenon underscores the increasingly narrow window between a new product’s viral popularity and the ensuing challenges in meeting demand.

Dubai chocolate, a confectionary treat first created in 2021 by FIX Dessert Chocolatier and named “Can’t Get Knafeh Of It” in homage to the Middle Eastern dessert knafeh, combines a pistachio cream filling, crispy kataifi (shredded phyllo dough), and tahini enveloped in milk chocolate. Although introduced to the market two years ago, it wasn’t until late 2023 that the product captured widespread social media attention. The popularity surge was propelled primarily by TikTok, where numerous viral videos showcased the chocolate’s unique appeal, causing consumer demand to escalate precipitously.

This social media-fuelled craze swiftly translated into tangible effects. Luxury grocery stores such as Waitrose imposed purchase limits, restricting customers to two bars per person following multiple sell-outs. Mainstream retailers, including Morrison’s, capitalised on the trend with seasonal products like a pistachio cream Easter egg inspired by the Dubai chocolate craze in 2025. Meanwhile, prominent chocolate manufacturer Lindt launched its own variant to meet consumer interest, highlighting the product’s deep penetration into the market.

The unexpected consequence of this success has been a significant strain on the global pistachio supply. According to Giles Hacking of CG Hacking, a nut trading company, pistachio supplies have been “tapped out,” with prices rising sharply—from $7.95 to $10.30 per pound over a single year. The main sources of pistachios, which include the United States and Iran, were already facing limitations due to a poor American harvest in the previous year. The surge in demand attributed to the viral Dubai chocolate phenomenon has further exacerbated shortages, impacting not just confectionery manufacturers but the entire nuts market internationally.

Dubai chocolate’s story is a clear example of how modern consumer trends, accelerated by social media platforms, can quickly shift niche products into mass-market phenomena, outpacing supply capabilities and causing commodity imbalances.

This is not an isolated case. Another trend highlighted in recent years involves matcha, a powdered green tea traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies. Matcha’s fame has grown exponentially outside Japan, particularly through Instagram and TikTok, where influencers have showcased its uses in lattes, shakes, and desserts. Matcha production has nearly tripled in the past decade, jumping from 1,471 tons in 2010 to 4,176 tons in 2023, but supply still falls short of global demand. The small Japanese town of Uji, known for its centuries-old matcha production, is experiencing significant pressure as it struggles to meet orders primarily from Middle Eastern markets. Concerns now exist about the potential rise of cheaper, lower-quality Chinese matcha products filling the market void, threatening the traditional Japanese matcha industry.

Going further back, the role of social media in shaping food shortages is well documented. In 2015, the avocado’s ascendancy to a social media staple, particularly on Instagram and Pinterest, triggered a worldwide shortage for the fruit. This scarcity led to increased prices—for example, avocados in Australia sold for up to $7 each—and an uptick in theft-related crimes in New Zealand, thereby illustrating another dimension of how demand spikes prompted by online trends can ripple through supply chains and social conditions.

The common factor uniting these cases is the influence of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, which rapidly accelerate product awareness and consumer enthusiasm. The traditional models of production and supply have struggled to keep pace with this unprecedented speed of demand change, revealing a gap in how market systems react to viral trends.

While the creators, promoters, and consumers of these novelties each play a role in their burgeoning popularity, it is the nature of current capitalism—where demand drives supply and supply determines price—that underpins these developments. However, the reality that supply chains are not yet equipped to handle such swift and widespread consumer responses has led to pronounced shortages and price increases in essential ingredients like pistachios.

The trajectory from niche delight to global sensation, as exemplified by Dubai chocolate and matcha, highlights the complex relationship between virality and sustainability in today’s food culture. The swift shift from social media trend to real-world scarcity illustrates the ongoing challenges in balancing consumer enthusiasm with the realities of production and resource management.

Source: Noah Wire Services