Al Nassma Chocolate
Al Nassma Chocolate is a Dubai-based Emirati chocolate manufacturer and retailer whose signature products are made with camel milk.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Al Nassma Chocolate is an Emirati chocolate manufacturer and retail brand established in Dubai on 22 October 2008. Its defining product characteristic is the use of camel milk in chocolate, a formulation and cultural proposition that connects modern confectionery with an ingredient traditionally associated with Arabian cuisine and the United Arab Emirates. The brand describes itself as the UAE's first and only camel-milk chocolate brand in the reference material. The concept was developed over almost four years before the formal launch. Rather than competing solely through conventional chocolate attributes such as cocoa percentage or European confectionery heritage, Al Nassma built its identity around regional distinctiveness, camel symbolism, premium presentation, and the appeal of an unusual edible souvenir. Its products have therefore been associated particularly with Dubai's tourism, hospitality, duty-free, gifting, and speciality-food channels. The range has included 70-gram camel-milk chocolate bars in several recipes, including whole milk, nut, dark chocolate made with 70% cocoa, an Arabia recipe containing spices such as cardamom and cinnamon, macadamia-orange, and dates. Other products have included camel-shaped chocolates, hollow camel figures, pralines, and Camel Caravan pieces filled with macadamia and honey cream. Packaging is an important part of the proposition: bars use double-printed gold foil, pralines are presented in boxes evoking camel hide, and selected gift products use wooden boxes sourced from Germany. The company has described a vertically coordinated production process. Camel milk is sourced from camels at Camelicious Farm in Umm Nahad, associated with Emirates Industry for Camel Milk & Products. The farm's milk is pasteurised in an ISO 22000-certified dairy plant; some is bottled under the Camelicious name while another portion is freeze-dried and transported to Austria for chocolate-mass production. Al Nassma manufactures chocolate from cocoa beans and performs molding for most products, together with much of the packaging, at its Dubai headquarters. The reference material states that the products use no artificial colours or additives. Retail distribution has centered on distinctive camel-shaped kiosks and selected premium locations. In the UAE, reported outlets have included The Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa's At the Top attraction, the Burj Al Arab, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, hotels and resorts, and the Camelicious farm in the desert. The brand has also appeared in Gulf duty-free outlets, including Dubai Duty Free and Qatar Duty Free. Beginning in 2009, it exported products to markets in Asia, North America, and Europe. Later reported placements included Julius Meinl locations in Vienna and Prague, Selfridges in London, KaDeWe in Berlin, Vienna and Istanbul duty-free outlets, and MSC Cruises vessels. Publicly available material documents the brand's origins, products, production model, and historical distribution, but does not establish its current ownership, management team, website, financial scale, or present operating status. Those fields are consequently left unreported rather than inferred.
History
Al Nassma Chocolate was established in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 22 October 2008. The concept reportedly required almost four years of development before launch. Its business model was built around producing chocolate with camel milk, giving the company a product identity closely tied to the UAE and to the historical role of camel milk in Arabian food culture. The brand's proposition combined food innovation with place-based storytelling. Camel milk served not only as an ingredient but also as the central explanation for why the product was distinctive. Camel imagery was carried through the product shapes, retail fixtures, and gift packaging, making the chocolates suitable for visitors seeking a recognizable Dubai or Emirati souvenir. The company consequently developed a presence in premium hotels, shopping malls, attractions, specialist shops, and duty-free outlets rather than relying only on ordinary grocery distribution. The production system involved several locations and specialist partners. The reference material states that the company established a Halal-certified production facility in 2006, before the brand's formal launch. Milk was obtained from camels at Camelicious Farm in Umm Nahad, associated with Emirates Industry for Camel Milk & Products. The farm was described as housing more than 3,500 camels and producing approximately 5,000 litres of raw milk per day, although those operating figures are historical reference claims rather than current measurements. The milk was pasteurised in an ISO 22000-certified dairy plant. Some milk was bottled for the Camelicious label, while another portion was freeze-dried and transported by air to Austria, where the chocolate mass was manufactured. Al Nassma reportedly made its chocolate from cocoa beans and used approximately 150 millilitres of fresh, pasteurised camel milk in one whole-milk chocolate bar. Other stated ingredients included sugar, cocoa paste, cocoa butter, bourbon vanilla, honey, Arabian spices, pistachios, dates, macadamia nuts, and orange zest. The reference material says the products were made without artificial colours or additives. Molding for most products and much of the packaging work took place at the company's Dubai headquarters. The first product family consisted of 70-gram bars in multiple flavours, including whole milk, nuts, 70% cocoa dark chocolate, Arabia with cardamom and cinnamon, macadamia-orange, and dates. The company also developed shaped and filled products, including camel-shaped chocolates, hollow camel figures, pralines, and Camel Caravan pieces with macadamia and honey cream filling. Packaging reinforced the premium souvenir positioning through gold foil, camel-hide-inspired boxes, and wooden presentation cases. Since its inception, sales have been linked to camel-shaped kiosks and high-profile visitor destinations. Reported UAE outlets included The Dubai Mall, the At the Top attraction at Burj Khalifa, the Burj Al Arab, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts, Bab Al Shams, Emirates Towers, Atlantis The Palm, Kempinski, Grand Hyatt, and Anantara properties. A branded shop was also reported at the Camelicious farm in the desert. Gulf duty-free distribution included Dubai Duty Free and Qatar Duty Free. International expansion began in 2009, with exports to Asian, European, and American markets. The brand later appeared in selected European luxury retailers, including Julius Meinl in Vienna and Prague, Selfridges in London, and KaDeWe in Berlin. A 2014 arrangement with Gebr. Heinemann extended reported sales into Vienna and Istanbul duty-free outlets and onto MSC Cruises ships. Available references do not adequately document subsequent ownership, leadership, financial performance, manufacturing changes, or whether all historical outlets remain active. The current status is therefore recorded as unknown.
- 2014
Expansion into British luxury retail
[1]The brand was reported at Selfridges in London from early 2014.
- 2014
Duty-free and cruise distribution expands
[1]A reported collaboration with Gebr. Heinemann added Vienna and Istanbul duty-free outlets and MSC Cruises ships.
- 2013
European specialist-retail placements reported
[1]Al Nassma products were reported at Julius Meinl locations in Vienna and Prague.
- 2009
International export program begins
[1]The company began shipping camel-milk chocolate to a range of markets in Asia, Europe, and the United States.
- 2008
Brand founded in Dubai
[1]Al Nassma Chocolate was founded in Dubai on 22 October 2008 following almost four years of development.
- 2006
Halal-certified production facility established
[1]The reference material states that the company established a Halal-certified production facility before the formal brand launch.
Products and positioning
A premium Emirati speciality-chocolate and tourism-gifting brand differentiated by camel milk, Arabian ingredients, camel imagery, and Dubai retail distribution.
Chocolate bars · 2008
70-gram Camel-Milk Chocolate Bars
The core bar range uses camel milk and has been offered in whole-milk, nut, 70% cocoa dark, Arabia, macadamia-orange, and date recipes. The Arabia recipe incorporates regional spices such as cardamom and cinnamon. Bars are presented in double-printed gold foil, reinforcing the premium and gift-oriented character of the range.
Filled chocolate gift confectionery
Camel Caravan
Camel Caravan is a shaped chocolate product with macadamia-nut and honey-cream filling. It extends the brand's camel theme beyond the ingredient itself and is presented as a premium gift item, including wooden packaging sourced from Holzmanufaktur Liebich in Germany.
Shaped chocolate confectionery
Camel-Shaped Chocolates and Hollow Camel Figures
These products use camel forms as an immediately recognizable visual expression of the brand. The figures have been wrapped in gold foil and placed in gift boxes, making them particularly suited to tourist retail, hospitality sales, and souvenir gifting.
Pralines
Camel-Milk Pralines
The praline assortment applies the brand's camel-milk chocolate concept to filled bite-size confectionery. Pralines have been sold in presentation boxes designed to evoke camel hide, supporting the company's premium regional-souvenir positioning.
Brand decisions
2014
Expand duty-free and cruise-channel distributionStrategyBackground
The brand's tourist and gifting proposition made travel-retail locations and cruise ships relevant channels for international sales.
Action taken
Al Nassma worked with Gebr. Heinemann to open reported sales in Vienna Duty Free, Istanbul Duty Free, and on MSC Cruises vessels.
Aftermath
The move broadened the brand's reported travel-retail footprint beyond its UAE base.
2009
Adopt international export distributionStrategyBackground
After establishing the Dubai-centered brand, the company sought access to overseas consumers and speciality-food buyers.
Action taken
Al Nassma began exporting its camel-milk chocolates by courier to markets across Asia, Europe, and the United States.
Aftermath
The export program was followed by reported placements in European luxury retailers, duty-free outlets, and cruise distribution.
Recent events
- 2014
Al Nassma products enter Selfridges[1]
Other
The brand was reported as being sold at Selfridges in London from early 2014.
- 2014
Al Nassma and Gebr. Heinemann open additional duty-free channels[1]
M&A
In June 2014, Al Nassma and Gebr. Heinemann reportedly opened sales in Vienna Duty Free and Istanbul Duty Free, as well as on MSC Cruises vessels.
- 2013
Al Nassma expands European luxury-retail presence[1]
Other
The products were reported at Julius Meinl am Graben in Vienna and in Prague, extending the brand's presence beyond UAE tourism and duty-free channels.
- 2009
Al Nassma begins international exports[1]
Other
The brand began exporting camel-milk chocolates through UPS to markets including Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, France, and the United Kingdom.
- 2008
Al Nassma Chocolate founded in Dubai[1]
Other
The Emirati chocolate company was established in Dubai on 22 October 2008 after a development period of almost four years.
Sources1 sources
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