Prices of kadayif and pistachios, the main ingredients in the viral Dubai chewy cookie, or “dujjonku” — popular especially with people in their 20s and 30s — have surged sharply, putting pressure on small business owners.
Pistachio imports spiked to 372 metric tons in December last year, up sharply from 93 tons in August, while the import price per ton nearly doubled from $8,800 to $16,800. Kadayif prices also rose about 85 percent, from 13,000 won ($8.90) per kilogram late last year to around 24,000 won, largely due to large corporations stockpiling supplies and dominating the limited import channels.
Although the chewy cookie initially gained widespread popularity through social media, interest in dujjonku is now starting to fade, as ingredient costs have become overheated and small businesses struggle to keep up.
don@heraldcorp.com
