• Dubai home-grown brand Fruit Cake specialises in freshly baked fruit-laden cakes.
    Dubai home-grown brand Fruit Cake specialises in freshly baked fruit-laden cakes.
  • Truffles from Afamia Gourmet.
    Truffles from Afamia Gourmet.
  • Belgian chocolate pretzels from Soulsnacks.
    Belgian chocolate pretzels from Soulsnacks.
  • Home-grown brand Tamer Art gives local dates an artistic touch.
    Home-grown brand Tamer Art gives local dates an artistic touch.
  • Hakiki specialises in Turkish ice cream and baklava.
    Hakiki specialises in Turkish ice cream and baklava.
  • Cream puffs from Madame Choux.
    Cream puffs from Madame Choux.
  • Bite-sized treats from Dubai flower and chocolate brand Molten Chocolate.
    Bite-sized treats from Dubai flower and chocolate brand Molten Chocolate.
  • Let's Popcorn has a number of intriguing flavours such as strawberry, paprika and pizza.
    Let's Popcorn has a number of intriguing flavours such as strawberry, paprika and pizza.
  • Peanut butter cookies from Zo's Kitchen, a home-grown Irish bakery brand.
    Peanut butter cookies from Zo's Kitchen, a home-grown Irish bakery brand.
  • The multi-brand store opened at City Walk in May.
    The multi-brand store opened at City Walk in May.

Sweet Surprises: 12 popular Instagram dessert brands team up to launch Dubai store


Janice Rodrigues
  • English
  • Arabic

A new launch in Dubai’s City Walk is ready to satisfy the UAE's sweetest of teeth.

Sweet Surprises opened on May 9, as a one-stop shop for confectionery, desserts and local treats, offered within a high-end, luxe space.

The store comprises 12 Instagram-founded businesses that are each popular in their own right. Visitors will be able to purchase gourmet, eccentrically flavoured popcorn (think rose and marble cake) from Let’s Popcorn, local dates from Tamer Art, chocolate pretzels from Soulsnacks or Turkish baklava and ice cream from Hakiki.

Other brands present at the store include Afamia Gourmet, Fruit Cake, Madame Choux, Manuka Wellbeing, Molten Chocolate, Salud, Special Events and Zo’s Kitchen.

For a look at some of the sweet treats, scroll through the gallery above.

Of the 12 brands, seven are home-grown while the remaining, with the exception of New Zealand's Manuka Wellbeing, are regional.

Lena Kurban Rouhana, owner of Soulsnacks, says the brand sees many key advantages to having a physical space as well as an online presence.

“Although e-commerce and online sales are an important aspect of retail businesses, offering customers a physical presence that communicates our brand aesthetics is critical to telling our story.”

Mazen Ghasham, owner of Kuwait brand Let's Popcorn, says: "While online business is already thriving, locating ourselves at one of the most popular retail destinations in Dubai is a good opportunity for customers to easily try our popcorn and experience our brand the way we want them to."

In addition to satiating that sweet tooth, the store will also be offering decoration, entertainment and catering services for people looking to host a celebration.