Behind the chocolate that broke the internet – from craving to viral TikTok sensation

By the time you’ve unwrapped your first FIX Dessert Chocolatier bar, it’s already done something to you. The shiny foil, the slick marble-like shell, the scent of toasted pastry and syrup – it’s indulgence with intent.

But long before many ever tasted it, FIX had already conquered TikTok. What began as an ASMR video by creator Maria (@mariavehera257), testing out the brand’s flavours, amassed an astonishing 140 million views, sparking a viral wave of recreations.

Today, there are over 750,000 videos under the #DubaiChocolate hashtag – from home bakers attempting marble shells to fans documenting the first satisfying snap of a bar.

Yet for co-founders Sarah Hamouda and Yezen Alani, FIX was never designed to go viral.

“When I started FIX, it wasn’t about going viral – it was about satisfying a pregnancy craving I couldn’t shake. I wanted something indulgent and nostalgic that I just couldn’t find anywhere," Sarah tells Indy100. “So, I made it. The fact that people connected with that same emotion is what made FIX grow. The virality was a surprise, but the intention was always emotional connection.”

That emotion resonated far beyond Dubai. A single video sent FIX spiralling across timelines and borders. Within weeks, Londoners, Parisians, and Riyadh sweet-tooths were pleading for friends to smuggle bars home in suitcases.

"It’s incredibly humbling to think we have created a whole new confectionery category now known to the world as 'Dubai Chocolate,'” Yezen reflects. “We received messages from small businesses who revived their sales with a ‘Dubai Chocolate’-inspired dessert. That’s when we realised FIX wasn’t just another dessert, it was a cultural export. A means of connection.”

That connection has now found a home in London, where FIX recently opened its first UK pop-up inside Harrods. For Sarah, it’s a full-circle moment.

"I grew up in London – in fact, I used to work at Harrods and wandered the Chocolate Hall for fun, so seeing our own brand there is surreal,” she says. “The dream is to bring FIX wherever there are people craving nostalgia, indulgence, and a little taste of home. We recently opened our second pop-up in Singapore, and who knows where FIX will take us next!”

FIX

While many brands chase the algorithm, FIX has always led with feeling.

“The word ‘viral’ is often thrown around, but I think there’s something truly magical in the way FIX has captured the world’s imagination,” Sarah explains. “We have gained momentum through authentic reactions and genuine word-of-mouth, without a huge marketing budget or strategy. A dessert has to taste incredible before it looks good on camera, so virality was never a thought in our minds.”

Instead, FIX’s success lies in its sensory storytelling and starting with a memory.

“We ask ourselves, ‘Does this flavour make you feel something?’ If the answer is no, we don’t launch it. We’ve launched several limited-edition flavour combinations such as Piece of Cake (reminiscent of the vanilla sponge sheet cake I had every birthday growing up) and You Karak Me Up (inspired by the spiced tea so popular in the UAE), all of which transport us to a specific place or moment in time. Each FIX bar is meticulously handcrafted with the finest ingredients to create a premium dessert that engages all five senses," Sarah shares.

As imitators emerge, FIX remains protective of its originality, with Yezen saying that healthy competition keeps them at the top of their game “as long as it’s done respectfully and does not directly copy our intellectual property to promote imitation products”.

Instead, the pair stay focused on what matters most: "Staying creative, protecting our identity, and delivering the kind of experience only FIX can.”

That focus has kept the brand grounded through rapid global expansion.

“Scaling without losing the magic,” Yezen admits, “was the biggest challenge. When demand increases, the instinct is to produce faster. But we held our ground – the bars still take time, the ingredients still matter, the craftsmanship and hand-made artworks are still non-negotiable. Quality over shortcuts, always.”

For entrepreneurs chasing a similar kind of cult status, Sarah’s advice is simple: “Don’t chase virality or try to make something for everyone. Create something from the heart.”

And if FIX had to be defined by a single creation, it would be their signature, Can’t Get Knafeh of It.

“That bar carries childhood, family gatherings, golden trays of knafeh on the table, the smell of syrup and toasted pastry floating from the kitchen,” Sarah says. “It feels like home to me. And I think, no matter where you’re from, everyone is looking for something that tastes like home.”

You should also read...

• This is the reason we crave a sweet treat after dinner, according to scientists
• TikTok food trend sparks global shortage of this common ingredient

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