Dubai's chocolate sensation halted by German court ruling
In 2024, the world went mad for chocolate from Dubai with a liquid pistachio filling. Customers were willing to pay even several hundred pounds for a bar. Meanwhile, a court in Cologne ordered the treat to be withdrawn from sale because it deemed the name misleading to customers.
Dubai pistachio chocolate became a sensation, primarily on the internet. Videos on TikTok, where users indulge in the treat, have reached millions of views. Many people have also posted tips on how to prepare similar chocolate themselves.
Dubai chocolate withdrawn from Aldi stores
Meanwhile, as the world marvelled at the pistachio delicacy, Andreas Wilmers, a German businessman who imports the original chocolate from Dubai, filed a complaint. A court in Cologne took up the case.
The ruling indicates that the retail chain Aldi must withdraw the chocolate. The reason is the product's name, which the court believes may mislead customers.
The judgment highlights that an average consumer will likely believe that "Dubai Handmade Chocolate" implies the chocolate was made in Dubai. The court determined that the small label on the back reading "Origin: Turkey" does not qualify as a simple oversight. This was the exact product available in Aldi stores.
Besides withdrawing the chocolate, the court ordered Aldi Süd to cover the costs of the proceedings. Whether the retail chain will appeal the judgment is unknown, but it must withdraw the product from its stores.
"If a chocolate bar is labelled Dubai Handmade Chocolate but is mass-produced in Turkey, it's simply unacceptable," the complainant stated in an interview with AFP. In his opinion, phrases like "Dubai style" would be acceptable.
However, this is not the only dispute involving the businessman. He is also proceeding against a Swiss chocolate producer who changed the packaging of their product to a Dubai style. Furthermore, he is considering legal action against another German retail chain that refused to stop selling a similar Dubai-style product.
Original Dubai chocolate worth several hundred pounds
Dubai chocolate originated at the Fix Dessert Chocolatier store in the United Arab Emirates. The famous delicacy is sold under "Can't Get Knafeh of It." The first version of the chocolate was introduced to the market in 2021.
The original Dubai chocolate is a bar filled with pistachio cream of a distinctive, crunchy consistency. The key ingredient – pistachio cream – is produced by the German company JM Posner.
The craze over this product prompted Lindt to create its version. Lindt bars are sold for £13, but due to huge demand, stocks disappeared quickly, and long queues formed at stores. As a result, a "black market" emerged, and the prices of Dubai chocolate from Lindt reached even several hundred pounds.
