Inside Emirates’ chocolate operation with 64 million treats and 26 million handcrafted desserts
From lounges to cabins, chocolate is tailored for every stage of travel
DUBAI – Emirates has lifted the lid on one of the most popular parts of its onboard dining experience, revealing the scale and craftsmanship behind the chocolates and desserts served to millions of passengers each year.
Marking World Chocolate Day, the Dubai-based airline shared how its culinary experts source premium cocoa, collaborate with leading chocolatiers and create destination-inspired desserts for customers travelling across its global network.
Passengers travelling in Economy, Premium Economy, Business and First Class are all treated to tailored chocolate experiences, with menus evolving throughout the year to reflect seasonal ingredients, regional tastes and changing customer preferences. Behind every dessert is a culinary operation that combines global sourcing, artisan techniques and large-scale production.
By the numbers
Emirates customers consume more than 64 million pieces of premium chocolate every year across the airline's worldwide network, an increase of 4 million chocolates compared with the previous year. Alongside these treats, the airline handcrafts approximately 26 million chocolate desserts annually for customers travelling in all four cabin classes.
The scale of the operation extends well beyond the finished products served onboard. Each year, Emirates loads around 750,000kg of luxury chocolate giveaways supplied by premium chocolate makers onto its aircraft, while using approximately 260,000kg of chocolate ingredients to prepare handcrafted desserts for flights around the world.
Rather than depending on a single supplier or cocoa-producing region, Emirates works with internationally recognised chocolatiers and premium chocolate manufacturers to offer a broad variety of flavours, textures and styles. Cocoa is sourced from renowned growing regions in South America and Africa, with suppliers selected for both product quality and responsible, sustainable sourcing practices.
Regional flavours
The airline's culinary design team develops chocolate desserts with individual destinations in mind instead of offering identical menus worldwide. Recipes are created around regional tastes, seasonal produce and local flavour preferences.
Flights inspired by Mediterranean destinations may feature chocolate paired with fresh berries or stone fruits, while menus on Asian routes can include combinations with tropical fruits, yuzu or matcha. Across the Middle East, pistachio continues to be one of the airline's most popular chocolate pairings and appears in several signature desserts.
According to Doxis Bekris, Vice President of Culinary Design at Emirates, the airline designs desserts by considering where customers are travelling and the ingredients they are most likely to enjoy, allowing each chocolate offering to feel both familiar and inspired by local tastes.
Supporting this operation is a team of 250 pastry and bakery chefs, who create more than 120 different chocolate desserts every year across all cabin classes. Menus are refreshed regularly to incorporate seasonal ingredients, destination-inspired recipes and evolving passenger preferences.
The airline has also recorded approximately 5% year-on-year growth in chocolate consumption, particularly for richer dark chocolate varieties. While flavour preferences vary by region, salted caramel remains one of the most popular pairings across Emirates' dessert collection.
Beyond boarding
The chocolate experience begins before passengers even board their flights. First and Business Class customers visiting Emirates' premium airport lounges can enjoy an evolving menu of chocolate desserts and premium confectionery.
Current selections include the Chocolate Cake, Banana and Yuzu Cake made with Valrhona's Hukambi 53% dark milk chocolate, Royal Chocolate Mousse Cake and Cake Alcazar. The airline also works with well-known partners including Valrhona, La Rose Noir, Gianni & Gelato, Compartés, Baklava Made Better and French Bakery to expand its premium dessert offering.
Cabin choices
Each cabin class features its own chocolate experience designed to complement the wider inflight dining menu.
Economy Class passengers can enjoy desserts such as the Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake served with chocolate sauce and caramel curls, while Premium Economy customers are offered elevated creations including a Chocolate & Pistachio Mousse Cake with apricot curd.
Business Class menus include desserts such as a Chocolate Entremet finished with cocoa glaze, dark chocolate soil and gold raspberry. Customers are also served an assortment of premium chocolates from UAE chocolatier Coco Jalila, showcasing locally crafted flavours.
For First Class travellers, Emirates presents plated desserts including an intense Chocolate Cake accompanied by sponge, dulcey soil and chocolate hazelnut sauce. The luxury chocolate selection served in First Class rotates every four months, allowing frequent travellers to sample different premium chocolatiers and flavour profiles throughout the year.
Current onboard brands include Valrhona from France, alongside Canonica and Neuhaus from Belgium, reflecting the airline's focus on offering a diverse and evolving chocolate experience across its global network.