What started as one choclatier's pregnancy craving became a global sensation that even major chains like Starbucks know would be a miss not to be a part of. Dubai chocolate is milk chocolate encasing a filling of pistachio paste, tahini, and crunchy shredded kadayif pastry. Given how delicious that sounds, it's no wonder it became a viral sensation.
On January 6th, you can get it in drinkable form from Starbucks. The chain will be offering two drinks—the Dubai Chocolate Matcha and the Dubai Chocolate Mocha—as part of its winter lineup. These two drinks started as fan-made custom orders. The Dubai Chocolate Matcha is a matcha latte with chocolate cold foam and pistachio cold foam, while the Dubai Chocolate Mocha features the classic iced mocha topped with pistachio cold foam.
For Starbucks, this is just the latest move in the company's major rebrand. The chain is undertaking its major "Back to Starbucks" campaign, a push to reclaim the original cozy coffeehouse feel. This plan includes extended free refills, serving coffees in ceramic mugs, and reducing menu offerings by 30 percent, but that doesn't mean it's not making room for new items.
Starbucks' profits have declined significantly in recent years, and the stock was down 6.4 percent earlier this year, due to factors like higher operating costs and customer dissatisfaction, prompting the company to change its focus. Offering trendy treats is just one way it's attempting to stay relevant. In addition to the Dubai chocolate specialty drinks, Starbucks is focusing on the protein obsession, offering high-protein versions of classic drinks and new drinks with added protein, like the Caramel Protein Matcha and Caramel Protein Latte, which are also coming to the menu on January 6th. You'll also be able to get high-protein versions of the special Dubai chocolate drinks.
Since unveiling its turnaround plan and continuing to be in tune to viral trends like Dubai chocolate, Starbucks has seen tentative growth. In Q4 of this year, the company reported its first positive sales growth in seven quarters.
“Q4 was a milestone quarter in getting ‘Back to Starbucks,’” said Cathy Smith, Starbucks' chief financial officer, in a press release. “We know this continues to be a multi-year turnaround."
“We’ve got more work to do, but our return to global comp growth and the momentum we’re building give me confidence we’re on the right path to deliver the very best of Starbucks for our customers and shareholders,” said CEO Brian Niccol.
Starbucks is known for being ahead of the trends, but it's not the only American chain offering Dubai chocolate-inspired treats. IHOP recently added the Luxe Dubai Chocolate Pancake—a decadent stack topped with pistachio cream, chocolate curls, pistachios, and crunchy roasted kadayif—to its menu. Baskin-Robbins also created a tantalizing menu of Dubai chocolate desserts, including a sundae, a shake, and a special pistachio chocolate ice cream.
“The Dubai Chocolate Bar quickly became one of the most talked-about treats everywhere,” Nicole Boutwell, Vice President of Brand Marketing and Culinary at Baskin-Robbins, said in a press release. “It was clear this wasn’t just a passing trend."
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