Vegan Chocolates Debut in Dubai in Time For Ramadan

Dubai-based Mirzam Chocolate Makers will launch in May a vegan, sugar-free collection of chocolate-covered dates for Ramadan, a month-long Muslim holiday focused on sharing food with friends and neighbors. The collection—which comes in boxes of two, nine, or 32—features locally grown dates filled with pistachios, orange peel and cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, caramelized cocoa nibs, or coconut dipped in 62-percent or 100-percent dark chocolate. Mirzam responded to requests for healthier options during the holiday that many people approach as a time to eat well and exercise. “We really felt there was a need to support this approach,” Mirzam Chief Chocolate Officer Kathy Johnston told VegNews, “and combining locally grown dates—which are a traditional part of every Ramadan evening here together with our locally-made, 100-percent dark chocolate seemed like a delicious approach to enjoying a no-sugar-added vegan treat.” Mirzam plans to experiment with flavors, types of chocolate, and varieties of dates for its new collection, which is an addition to the 15 types of vegan dark chocolate that are already part of Mirzam’s regular menu—six of which are single-origin varieties, while the rest are flavored with organic rose oil, fennel, star anise, and other spices.