US plant-based nutrition brand Aloha has offered its own take on one of the food industry’s biggest viral trends over the past few years, Dubai chocolate, with its new Chocolate Pistachio protein bar.

The bar’s core gets its green hue from spirulina and turmeric. It is made with real pistachio pieces and Aloha’s brown rice and pumpkin seed protein blend, and is coated in dark chocolate with a hint of sea salt. They are made from whole-food ingredients and contain no artificial additives.

Each bar delivers 14g of plant-based protein and 10g of fibre, with just 5g of sugar. The brand’s entire line-up is also USDA-certified organic.

Aloha highlighted NielsenIQ data showing that dollar sales in ‘super-premium’ chocolate – the category in which Dubai chocolate sits – were up 16.7% last year despite mainstream chocolate sale declining.

While indulgent flavour often comes at the expense of health, with added sugar and artificial ingredients frequently used in the confectionery space, Aloha aims to close this gap with a clean-label option designed to satisfy cravings.

Brad Charron, CEO of Aloha, explained why the brand waited to jump on the Dubai chocolate trend – which first went viral on social media in December 2023: “We watched Dubai chocolate for over a year before we touched it,” he commented.

“We wanted to know if this was a real shift in what people want from chocolate, or just a moment in time. Once the consumer data told us it wasn't fading, we built the version that could actually hold up to our brand promise and strict food philosophy: real ingredients, real protein and fibre, and a taste that earns hype instead of borrowing it.”

The Aloha Chocolate Pistachio bar is available in Albertsons Safeway Banners, beginning in November, for a limited time. It can also be purchased online via Aloha’s website.