Hershey’s Enters The Dubai-Chocolate Arena With Ultra-Limited Drop
On 4 December 2025, Hershey’s will release its first-ever Dubai-Inspired Chocolate Bar, a milk chocolate bar filled with creamy pistachio paste and crispy kadayif (kataifi) threads. Only 10,000 individually numbered bars will ever be produced, positioning the launch as one of the most restricted in the brand’s history. Priced at $8.99, the bar will drop exclusively at 10 a.m. ET through delivery platform Gopuff in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago, with a simultaneous in-person activation at Hershey’s Chocolate World in Times Square (20 Times Square, 701 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10036). A live countdown installation outside the store will mark the moment, and units will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
The move places Hershey’s squarely in the global Dubai-chocolate phenomenon that originated with Dubai-based FIX Dessert Chocolatier in 2023 and has since spawned hundreds of interpretations across premium, artisan and mass-market categories throughout 2024 and 2025.
Key Brand Strategic Initiatives This Year
The Dubai-style pistachio-kadayif combination continues to trigger distinct strategic responses from major chocolate players worldwide. Below are some notable initiatives observed in 2025.
Lindt
Multi-market phased rollout: Introduced the format in Japan and China in late 2024, followed by limited runs in the US (July 2025 Walmart, Target, Kroger), UK, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa.
Portfolio extension: Launched milk, new variants (e.g., Dubai Style Dark and White slabs), and truffle versions.
Channel diversification: Moved from Lindt boutique exclusivity to full grocery penetration and online availability in multiple territories.
Ghirardelli
Bite-sized premium format: Released individually wrapped Dubai Style Chocolate pieces in October 2025 exclusively on Ghirardelli.com ($13.95/4 oz bag), followed by a 50-piece $75 gift box for holiday gifting.
Experiential tie-in: Leveraged earlier sell-out Dubai Style Chocolate Sundae pop-ups to build demand before the packaged launch.
Seasonal anchoring: Timed the rollout for the US holiday season, emphasizing shareable and giftable packaging.
Läderach
Regional hero products: Launched FrischSchoggi Dubai (milk) and FrischSchoggi Dubai Dark in Switzerland, Qatar, UAE, Thailand and selected international boutiques.
Praliné evolution: Introduced Dubai Style Dark Pralines featuring kataifi, pistachio and almond gianduja across global locations.
In-store exclusivity: Positioned the items as fresh, hand-finished specialties available only in Läderach boutiques and selected department stores (e.g., Siam Paragon, ICONSIAM).
Marks & Spencer
Own-label execution: Introduced an M&S Dubai Chocolate Bar into its food halls in the United Kingdom, bringing the trend into the mainstream private-label space at accessible pricing.
Bateel
Luxury date fusion: Launched the Dubai Date Chocolate combining organic Segai dates, pistachio kunafa and milk or dark chocolate coating.
Regional premium positioning: Marketed as an elevated, locally resonant interpretation sold through Bateel boutiques and high-end retail.
Elit Chocolate
Domestic and export portfolio build-out: Expanded its Dubai Chocolate range with milk, Supremo, gift-box, share-bag, and ice-cream-stick formats throughout 2025, sold via elitcikolata.com.tr and factory outlets.
Regional distribution push: Rolled out dedicated Dubai Chocolate lines into Greece and other neighbouring markets.
Multi-SKU strategy: Offered everything from single bars to premium boxed collections to capture gifting and self-indulgence occasions.
Patislove
Affordable mass-retail execution: Launched a pistachio-kadayif Dubai-style bar across the United States, in Trader Joe’s, priced at $3.99, one of the lowest price points in the category.
Variant expansion: Introduced a ruby chocolate Dubai-style bar with red-fruit notes and crispy kadayif, plus a 70% hazelnut-praline version, both distributed internationally through grocery and online channels.