UAE Diwali rush: Dubai shops see soaring demand for Dh400/kg sweets

Dubai: As Diwali approaches, UAE sweet shops are preparing for their busiest days of the year, with establishments witnessing an extraordinary surge in demand. The festival fervour is palpable, sales of traditional Indian delicacies are expected to skyrocket over 300 per cent compared to regular seasons, prompting some shops to shut their dining services entirely for few days prior to Diwali to focus on order fulfillment.

For many UAE residents, purchasing these delicacies in bulk has become the preferred approach, with kilograms rather than individual pieces being the standard order. The price of tradition varies considerably: classic Indian sweets like boondi and besan laddoos or pista badam burfi range from Dh80 to Dh400 per kilogram, reflecting differences in quality and ingredients. Meanwhile, the ever-popular samosas cost between Dh25 to Dh50 per kilo, depending on filling and source.

Well-known local establishments and Indian restaurants serve as the epicentres of this festive rush, with the convenience of swift online ordering and delivery from platforms and shops like Puranmal, Bikanerwala, Govindas, and Shree Gangour Sweets becoming a major force behind the trend.

"No festival is complete without sweets, and Diwali is incomplete without Indian sweets," explains Imtiaz Shaikh, Business Development Manager of Puranmal. "We have a lot of corporate orders for that, and Diwali is a big time for us."

Quality and customisation: The winning formula

Puranmal, with 44 years in the business, attributes its rising success to unwavering quality standards. "The unique selling point is everything is made fresh in the factory," says Shaikh. "We have always maintained a premium quality." Their sweets typically range from Dh80 to Dh160 per kilogram, whilst premium dry fruit varieties, favoured for their long shelf life, command prices between Dh150 to Dh380.

But it's not just about the sweets anymore. Gifting has evolved into an art form, with special hampers becoming hugely popular. Puranmal caters to this with "special wooden crafted boxes which add elegance to the whole festival. When you gift something unique, you will be remembered," Imitiaz notes. These bespoke hampers start at Dh200 and extend to Dh650 for the most extensive premium selections, with customisation based on specific budgets being a major draw for customers.

The intensity of demand necessitates extensive advance preparation. Mohammed Nazish, Manager at Bikanerwala, confirms that they often close dining services for four to five days before Diwali to concentrate entirely on fulfilling orders. "Sweets, mixed boxes, and especially dry fruit hampers are the crowd favourites," he says, noting an emerging trend of customers requesting low-sugar options.

Bikanerwala's sweets range from Dh80 to Dh400, with items like pista lauj proving particularly popular. To manage sudden spikes, local production has intensified, many shops including Bikanerwala, now operate dedicated kitchen units in areas like Dubai Investment Park specifically to handle the Diwali rush. Corporate groups, Nazish confirms, begin pre-booking gift hampers nearly a month in advance.

A testament to community and tradition

The enormous scale of demand for Diwali treats reflects the UAE's vibrant Indian expatriate community, where the tradition of sharing remains strong. For many, like HR professional Vikas Sharma, Diwali sweets are an essential part of business and client relations: "For the past five years, I have been ordering sweets... to share the joy with my clients, and this gesture brings a closeness... Diwali is one of our major times when we send across sweets to our customers." However, Kripa Maheshwar, a Financial advisor who works in a Jebel Ali free zone company, noted the shift toward healthier alternatives, stating that she often orders savory snacks and dry fruit hampers for her family and friends because "it's healthier compared to sweets... even though people have become more conscious about health, that doesn't diminish the shine of Diwali."

Cross-cultural celebrations

The festival's cultural significance extends far beyond the Indian community. Emiratis and other expatriates eagerly buy or receive traditional Indian sweets, whilst the local gifting culture has embraced a beautiful fusion. Items like dates and nuts, deeply significant in Arab traditions, are now widely exchanged alongside Indian delicacies. This harmonious blend, from premium dates boxes to platters of bright orange carrot halwa, perfectly symbolises the sharing, inclusivity, and appreciation that define the UAE during Diwali.