Chocolate meets spectacle in Dubai as the world’s biggest chocolate fair, Salon du Chocolat, makes its Middle East debut in September 2025. With over 500 exhibitors, live demos, chocolate sculptures, and pastry shows, it’s a full-sensory celebration of cocoa culture. The event not only delights sweet-toothed visitors, but also positions Dubai as a global hub for culinary tourism and gourmet innovation.
The scent hits you before the entrance. Rich cocoa swirls with vanilla and roasted hazelnuts in the air. Inside the Dubai World Trade Centre, it feels like stepping into a dream—if that dream was dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with gold dust.
Welcome to the Salon du Chocolat, the world’s largest chocolate fair, landing in Dubai for the first time from September 18 to 20, 2025. Over 500 exhibitors from 60+ countries have come together to celebrate chocolate in all its forms—and to dazzle.
At the entrance, a towering 7-meter falcon sculpture made entirely of Belgian dark chocolate glistens under spotlights. Children gasp. Cameras flash. A chocolatier in a crisp white apron grins: “300 kilos of Callebaut. Worth every bite.”
This isn’t just a trade show—it’s a stage. A playground. And a love letter to chocolate.
In the Pastry Show arena, you can watch world-class chefs whip, pipe, and torch desserts into edible art. Chocolate dresses swirl down the runway during the Chocofashion Show, where models wear couture entirely made of cocoa. There are workshops on truffle making, vegan chocolate, and bean-to-bar techniques for curious foodies and professionals alike.
The centerpiece? The International Chocolate Awards, judged by Michelin chefs and top food critics. Winners gain contracts with luxury hotels and airlines—and instant global fame.
“Dubai is fast becoming a capital of culinary creativity,” says organizer Sophie Menahem, swirling a spoon through a molten mousse. “This fair is a gateway—for innovation, for trade, and for unforgettable experiences.”
The global chocolate industry is booming, especially in health-conscious and premium segments. According to Statista, the sector is projected to exceed $300 billion by 2030. Dubai, perfectly located between Europe, Asia, and Africa, is seizing the opportunity.
For real estate investors, this sweet surge opens doors:
The message is clear: those investing now in hospitality and retail real estate with a food-first strategy could ride the wave of Dubai’s gourmet boom—far beyond the chocolate fair.
