World's first camel-milk chocs going global

MILK CHOCOLATE: Dubai's Al Nassma banking on not too many consumers getting the hump. (Getty Images)

Dubai's Al Nassma, the world's first brand of chocolate made with camels' milk, plans to expand into new Arab markets, Europe, Japan and the United States, its general manager said on Tuesday.

Martin Van Almsick said the UAE company planned to enter Saudi Arabia first, followed by Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United States within the next few months.

The company plans to enter the Saudi market in a month through a partnership with a Jeddah-based distributor, said Van Almsick, adding the company plans to deliver the first tonne of chocolates to Saudi Arabia soon.

Al Nassma is also in talks with British department store Harrods and San Francisco's Chocolate Covered to sell its products.

Al Nassma was formally established in October last year and aims to produce 100 tonnes of premium camels' milk chocolate a year.

In partnership with Austrian chocolate maker Manner, Al Nassma manufactures the end product at its Dubai facility.

With 3,000 camels on its Dubai farm, the company sells chocolates through its farm-attached store as well as in luxury hotels and private airlines. It plans to launch an online shopping facility within a month, Van Almsick said. The farm is controlled by the Dubai government.

The company is set to open its second store in the UAE in one of Dubai's large malls and is in talks with mall operator Majid Al Futtaim and others, he said.

"We aim to be the Godiva of the Middle East," Van Almsick said in an interview. "It's a luxury product, so we will never be in supermarkets. The plan is to be in one mall in each UAE city."

Al Nassma is also looking at the possibility of setting up a store in Japan, where demand for the product is high, he said.

All chocolates are produced without preservatives or chemical additives with a range of locally popular spices, nuts and honey, the company says.

Camel milk contains five times more vitamin C than cow milk, less fat, less lactose and more insulin, making it a good option for diabetics and the lactose intolerant, Van Almsick said. (Reuters)

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READERS' COMMENTS

camel milk choclates
Posted by JULIA, orlando, USA on Friday 24 July 2009 at 19:13 UAE time


i have heard it for last few months- but nobody is selling.
company shuld directly sell to local groceries and supermarkets to make it widely available.
also it shuld advertise address where it is avaialbe

The address of the company selling camel milk chocolate, please
Posted by Tom Degerstedt, Kaskinen, Finland on Thursday 23 July 2009 at 19:27 UAE time


Please someone post the address of the company including
email so I can contact this firm.
I live in a far away Nordic country noone has ever heard of but
my Somali friends tell me Camelś milk make a man strong and
well shaped......

Al Nassma Camel Milk Chocolates
Posted by Omar Shamma, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Thursday 23 July 2009 at 15:14 UAE time


As a lifetime marketing practitioner I have my doubts about positioning Camel Milk Chocolates as a luxury brand. That is not to say that the product will not sell as a "Godiva" or "Lindt" positioned offering I am sure it will. However, a stronger driver for purchase would naturally be health benefits rather than luxury as this is a unique selling proposition. As a luxury brand it would be "me too" and I would think luxury chocolates buyers are not making their purchasing decision on health grounds.

Just as there are many market segments for cow's milk chocolates from the luxury to the mass consumer market there can be the same for camel's milk chocolates. However, with a selling proposition based on unique health benefits I would think the bigger opportunity would be the mass market.

I would be very interested in discussing the product positioning with the company management and creating a marketing case study. Can anyone put me in touch with the company?

Poor Marketing Communications
Posted by OMAR SHAMMA, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Thursday 23 July 2009 at 09:52 UAE time


I have read several articles relating to this company. I cannot believe that in all the articles I read there was ZERO mention on how to contact the company or on where a consumer may purchase the product in Dubai. I think they need a few lessons in enhancing the effectiveness of their marketing communications as I and my friends are keen to try the product but despite all attempts have not been able to locate any retail outlets where it is sold or any contact details for the company itself.

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