India's Dubai-chocolate craze matures: SMOOR, FNP, Britannia turn kunafa virality into a premium category
The kunafa/Dubai-chocolate flavour has shifted from a viral moment to a sustained premium retail category. SMOOR sold 2 lakh units at a 35% markup (₹400 vs ₹295), FNP posted 40% QoQ growth at ₹549 and targets 1.5x by FY27, while Swiggy Instamart pistachio-chocolate orders surged 11,739%. Manam raised $9M as brands expand into adjacent lines.
Kunafa/Dubai-chocolate flavour has evolved from viral trend to a sustained retail category in India, with SMOOR, FNP and Britannia reporting strong premium-priced demand across chocolate, gifting and bakery, and now expanding into adjacent product lines.
Why this matters
SMOOR anchors a shift from kunafa's viral spike to a durable premium segment, joined by FNP and Britannia, signaling brands now treat Dubai-chocolate as a repeatable category rather than a fad.
Retail-brand signals steady at 2,614 in 90d; FNP up 40% QoQ, Instamart pistachio-chocolate orders up 11,739%.