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Al Nassma has gained a presence through leading Gulf travel retailers |
Premium camel’s milk chocolate brand Al Nassma celebrated the fifth anniversary of its launch in October, with travel retail a key platform for growth.
The UAE government-owned company gained its first listing with Dubai Duty Free, followed soon after by DFS and since then by other Gulf travel retailers, including Muscat Duty Free, Qatar Duty Free and Dufry Sharjah this year. It is now extending its reach to other markets.
Director of Sales Patrick Dorais said: “The company realised early on what a great story this could be, and the fact that it had potential for the travel retail channel. We were delighted to be able to exhibit in Cannes in 2009, just one year after launch, given the waiting lists for booths. We were also fortunate to get great support from some of the leading retailers in the market. Dubai Duty Free believed in the idea from the start.”
The brand is now also available (on shelf and with its camel displays) through Dubai Duty Free at Dubai International’s Concourse A (opened in January) and at Al Maktoum International Airport (opened in October). Sales are growing by double digits month-on-month with Dubai Duty Free, said Dorais.
The brand is also distributed selectively in the domestic market, principally through five-star hotels. It is the only chocolate sold at the famed Burj Al Arab, is available at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi (location of this year’s Trinity Forum Gala Dinner) and is sold in what is said to be the world’s most elevated store too – in the souvenir unit on the 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
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Show of support: Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice President Colm McLoughlin (right) and Vice President-Marketing Sinead El Sibai with Martin Van Almsick |
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Dubai Duty Free President George Horan (right) and his wife Carmel with Al Nassma’s Patrick Dorais (left) and Martin Van Almsick |
It is available in selected domestic markets overseas too, where it is distributed in premium fine food and delicatessen outlets in Frankfurt, Vienna, Paris, New York, Boston, Washington, San Francisco, Kuwait and other cities. It has also been available in high-end stores in Japan since 2010.
The company has also underlined its ambitions to extend its café concept, The Majlis, to new locations after it opened in Dubai in January 2013.
The Majlis Dubai is a premium café lounge concept described as having “a modern touch on Arabic-inspired themes revolving around camel’s milk”. Featuring a blend of “the best of modern Dubai and Middle East culture” in its design and its products, the café has a menu of items such as “˜camel-lattés’ and “˜camel-cinos’, as well as camel’s milk ice cream and Majlis chocolate cake with Al Nassma’s own recipe.
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Al Nassma has gained strong visibility through its Dubai Duty Free installations |
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Following the launch of The Majlis Dubai at The Dubai Mall, Al Nassma is now targeting other global metropolises for expansion. In a bid to gain international recognition and to create visibility on the travel retail market, the brand sponsored The Moodie Report’s Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference and Awards 2013, held last month in Dubai.
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Al Nassma is distributed through prestigious hotels in the UAE |
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Of the Al Nassma story to date, Dorais said: “At first we were seen as a novelty. In the first couple of years in Cannes retailers wondered if we would still be around the year after, and whether the product would gain traction. This was our fourth Cannes show and now, instead of having to pull people onto the stand, they come directly and visit us. We had lots of drop-in visitors from the most unexpected places and expect to announce some interesting listings soon.”
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The brand’s boutique at its headquarters in the desert |
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The Majlis Dubai: Al Nassma’s high-end coffee concept |
He added: “We are very excited about the development of Al Nassma so far and we are looking forward to the global opportunities ahead of us. Our vision is to see people around the globe enjoying “˜camel-lattés’, “˜camel-cinos’ and other premium camel milk products as a part of their daily coffee culture. Our ultimate goal is to be represented through our sister company The Majlis in all major global metropolises.”
For trade enquiries contact Patrick Dorais, Director of Sales at patrick@al-nassma.com
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The premium brand is showing healthy growth in travel retail to date |
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