Turkish exporters see surge in demand amid Dubai chocolate trend

Arzu Kurum – ISTANBUL

Turkish chocolate exporters are experiencing a surge in demand, driven by the growing popularity of pistachio and shredded phyllo dough-filled Dubai chocolate, with both domestic consumption and exports expected to rise, a sector representative told daily Hürriyet.

“We predict that this shift will result in a 5 to 6 percent rise in domestic consumption and a 3 to 4 increase in exports,” said Kazım Taycı, the head of an exporters' association. This development follows the Turkish chocolate manufacturing industry facing the recession risk amid high cocoa costs and a slow rate of exchange rate growth.

This excessive surge in demand for Dubai chocolate, therefore, prompted many people to form long queues in front of a well-known establishment in Istanbul’s Koşuyolu.

The nation produces about 470,000 tons of chocolate a year and exports 150,000 tons, with each individual consuming approximately 2.5 kilos of chocolate on a yearly basis.

Snack exports brought $2.7 billion in revenue last year, Taycı noted, highlighting that they aim to push the figure up to $3 billion.

He further added that the growing popularity of Dubai chocolate has also raised demand for pistachios and shredded phyllo dough. This, however, led to pistachios ending up on the black market, with profiteers also stockpiling these popular nuts.

Domestic demand did not witness a decline in spite of the sector's rising costs, according to Taycı, however, profitability had significantly experienced a downfall.

He stressed that this decline primarily depends on the fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.

“‘People wonder why we raise our prices in line with foreign exchange rates. We are making an effort to explain inflation and rising expenses in response,” he explained. “The manufacturers have started to depend on their profit margin.”

Food preparation commission head Professor Behiç Mert, on the other hand, tackled the topic in a more consumer-friendly way in his remarks to the daily Hürriyet.

In Türkiye, the pricing of Dubai chocolate varies from brand to brand and often ranges from 70 to 80 Turkish Liras in supermarkets to 400 to 500 liras on the menus of well-known establishments.

Pointing out that these figures significantly exceed the average, Mert urged consumers to consider one important question: “How many of these businesses actually use authentic pistachio butter in their products?”

Cautioning that some manufacturers may use green mash in their chocolates, Mert urged consumers to choose products from reputable and trusted establishments.