Smuggling of a Popular Delicacy Increases in Europe.

At the border of Austria, customs officials detained chocolate smugglers from Dubai twice. The total value of the detained goods amounts to about 52,000 euros. This is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon in Europe due to the growing popularity of Dubai chocolate this fall. Its uniqueness lies in the pistachio filling and crispy kataifi dough. Due to high demand and limited supply, prices for Dubai chocolate have risen, and smuggling is widespread.

In October and November 2024, a truck with undeclared chocolate was detained at the border between Austria and Hungary. In November, a man was also detained while trying to smuggle 45 kg of Dubai chocolate from Switzerland.

The popularity of Dubai chocolate is driven by its success on social media. Videos featuring this chocolate became viral on TikTok, leading people to stand in line for hours at stores or monitor its availability in online shops.

It is also worth noting that in 2024, Ukrainians searched the internet for information about this chocolate and where to buy it. Dubai chocolate made it into the TOP-6 queries of Ukrainians, coming in sixth place after chargers, inverters, and iPhone 16.

Cocoa Prices Reach New Record

Cocoa futures prices in New York reached a new record due to supply chain issues in the market. On Monday, these prices rose by 4.8% to $11,839 per ton. Over the entire year, futures prices nearly tripled, leading to increased candy prices.

The price increase at the beginning of the year is attributed to low cocoa harvests in West Africa, the largest producing region. This has led to a third consecutive year of deficits. Cocoa prices continue to rise due to adverse weather conditions threatening the harvest in this region and limiting the chances of replenishing global stocks.