Middle Eastern Chocolate Specialty Store Prices Up 35% in One Month
Prices Soar When Pistachios Are Added to Chocolate
As 'Dubai Chocolate,' which combines pistachios and chocolate, gains popularity, new dessert products using pistachios are increasing. With pistachios added to existing chocolate products, the selling prices have been set higher.
On the 25th, the price of Home Run Ball sold at a large supermarket in the metropolitan area. The original Home Run Ball product is priced at 5 bundles (205g) for 5,850 won, and the pistachio flavor (4 bundles, 172g) is 5,580 won. The unit prices are 28.5 won and 32.4 won respectively, with the pistachio product being about 13% more expensive. Photo by Yoon Seulgi
Recently, Haitai Confectionery launched 'Home Run Ball Pistachio.' While the original Home Run Ball contains chocolate, the Home Run Ball Pistachio is made with pistachio cream. Oyes also expanded its product line by releasing 'Oyes Pistachio,' made by replacing the existing cream with roasted pistachio flakes and pistachio paste.
The convenience store industry is also moving quickly in response to the Dubai chocolate trend. CU recently released 'Dubai Style Chocolate' and introduced 'Neighbor Tongtong-i Dubai-style Choco Cookie,' which contains Kadaif (thin noodles from the Middle East). Seven Eleven is also preparing to launch 'Dubai-style Chocolate with Real Kadaif Noodles' at the end of this month. Additionally, GS25 conducted a pre-order sale for the 'Dubai Chocolate Set.'
As more people seek Dubai chocolate, related pop-up stores have also appeared. Temiz, the only domestic store specializing in Middle Eastern Turkish desserts, recently opened a pop-up store at Lotte World Mall in Jamsil, Seoul.
'When Pistachio is Included, Product Prices Jump'
The price of Oyes sold at a large supermarket in the metropolitan area on the 25th. Oyes (360g) and Oyes Pistachio (360g) are priced at 4,780 won and 5,580 won respectively, with the pistachio product being more than 16% more expensive. Photo by Yoon Seulgi
With the surge in demand for pistachio products, product lines containing pistachios have been priced higher than existing chocolate desserts. The price of 'Dubai Style Chocolate' sold at CU is 4,000 KRW (48g), and GS25's Dubai chocolate is 6,500 KRW (80g). The price per gram is 83.3 KRW and 81.3 KRW, respectively, more than twice the price of regular chocolate.
The price of Lotte Wellfood's 'Ghana Chocolate' (34g), a representative chocolate product, is 1,400 KRW, with a unit price of about 41.2 KRW. The original Home Run Ball (5 bundles, 205g) costs 5,850 KRW at supermarkets, while the pistachio Home Run Ball (4 bundles, 172g) is 5,580 KRW. The unit prices are 28.5 KRW and 32.4 KRW, respectively, with the pistachio product priced about 13% higher. Oyes (360g) and Oyes Pistachio (360g) are priced at 4,780 KRW and 5,580 KRW, respectively, with the pistachio product more than 16% more expensive.
The price of Temiz's Dubai chocolate has also risen by more than 35% in just one month. The price per piece was 7,000 KRW in June but is now sold at 9,500 KRW.
Meanwhile, Dubai chocolate originated from the UAE-based chocolate brand 'Fix Dessert Chocolatier' (Fix Chocolate). It is made by mixing Kadaif and green pistachio cream. The popularity of Dubai chocolate spread not only in Korea but worldwide after a famous influencer's short-form video of eating Dubai chocolate went viral.
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