Dubai-based bean-to-bar chocolatier Mirzam is marking its ninth anniversary this week with the launch of a limited-edition collection inspired by the historic Spice Route. Since producing its first batch in 2016, the company has continued to experiment with unconventional ingredients, and this latest release leans into that experimental spirit.
The new collection, unveiled as part of the anniversary celebrations, brings together rare chillies and wild peppers from around the world, balanced with chocolate in unexpected pairings. The recipes are designed not to overwhelm with heat, but to showcase the complex fragrance and flavor of these spices.
Among the highlights are Voatsiperiferi Peppers from Madagascar paired with ginger and vanilla; Mundu, a citrus-like fruit from South India, blended with tamarind caramel; and smoked Pasilla chilli from Mexico, incorporated into a crunchy cashew honeycomb. All are married toigether with Mirzam’s bean-to-bar crafted chocolate, continuing its commitment to sourcing and producing chocolate from scratch in Dubai.
The launch follows a busy product calendar for Mirzam this year that includes honeycomb, cashew & sea salt brittle in 62% dark chocolate, dates with figs and star anise in 65% dark chocolate, and dates & pomegranate in 65% dark chocolate. The anniversary release is presented as a limited series, positioned to appeal to consumers looking for ingredient-driven, narrative products.
Market Context And Competitive Activity
Mirzam operates in the UAE’s competitive direct-to-consumer (DTC) chocolate space where it holds a meaningful market share. The channel features a mix of regional and international brands that pursue differing strategies — from seasonal and occasion-led launches to luxury collaborations and culturally inspired fusions.
This year has seen a flurry of innovation from chocolate makers in the Emirates. Patchi launched celebratory milk chocolate with hazelnuts and crisped rice for Chinese New Year. Forrey & Galland unveiled a fusion dessert bar in speculoos cheesecake kunafa, while FIX Dessert Chocolatier has been highly active, releasing flavors ranging from karak tea-inspired creations to pecan and blond chocolate blends, and even a tropical mango-passionfruit bar with popping candy.
Coco Jalila targeted Ramadan with a line of limited-edition nut-based confections, while Armani/Dolci presented luxury chocolate eggs in its spring collection. Newcomers such as SNA’AP Chocolates introduced Ube Baklava in milk chocolate and pistachio-kunafa Easter bites, emphasizing cultural fusion and seasonal gifting.
International houses also kept up momentum in the UAE this year. Läderach introduced multiple novelties, from its FrischSchoggi Matcha Fusion White-Dark, blending Japanese matcha with Swiss dark chocolate, to the Dubai Dark bar layered with pistachio, kataifi and gianduja, and a Summerdream Dark-White variety swirled with blood orange, passionfruit and mango. Venchi added seasonal indulgence through its Pistachio Gran Gourmet egg, fully coated with pistachios and filled with pistachio chocolate, while also rolling out a caramel and rosemary gelato for summer in the Gulf. Lindt, meanwhile, expanded its presence with a focus on classic indulgence, launching a line of Extra Creamy tablets positioned squarely at those seeking smoother, everyday chocolate.