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Whether it is dark, light, white, filled with crunchy nuts, delicious melted caramel or simply rich and plain, chocolate is one of the few things that appeal to the majority of people across age, gender and nationality.
"Chocolate is something I reward myself with. In my opinion, it is important because for some reason, it brings all my friends together and makes everyone happy," Hadeya Badri said, a 20-year-old UAE national.
Her favourite memory associated with chocolate is about a friend who carried three plastic bags of peanut butter chocolate cups from New York to Dubai.
She said: "It was done just because I mentioned that I was craving them."
Bassam Jean Nader, a 27-year-old Lebanese expatriate, told Gulf News: "I love chocolate. To me, it is freedom, taste and an extra source of energy."
As a drummer in a band he always advises his group members to have at least a small chocolate bar a day to be energetic for practice."
"Although I enjoy the taste of melted chocolate, my worst memories of chocolate bars must have been the times I forgot them and they melted in my bag or jeans' pockets," added Nader.
"The chocolate market is no doubt expanding and there seems to be a lot of variety, and that's the beauty of chocolate - its variety."
Emma Gerel, a 29-year-old Filipina expatriate, feels that the thought of being given chocolate is extremely special.
She said: "My fondest chocolate memory is of when I was living in the Philippines. I would bring my youngest sister a bar or two every time I got home from work. I miss that so much."
According to chocolate fans, there seems to be a change in the variety and quantity offered in the market over the years.
"As more and more chocolate products enter the market, the consumer has an almost infinite amount of choice," Mohannad Khan, a 24-year-old Pakistani expatriate, said.
Max Stanton, a 20-year-old British/American expatriate, feels that this may not be the "best thing".
"I believe that the chocolate market has reached a plateau. Apart from a few gourmet chocolates, there are hardly any new chocolates released that are worth eating other than for their sheer novelty value."
Old is gold, including his memories of chocolate.
"I have memories of childhood chocolate feasts, where there was debatably more chocolate on my face than in my stomach, " Stanton said.
"When I was about eight, my father came back from a trip to Switzerland, bringing me a kilo each of both white and milk chocolate. Needless to say I ate it all in a matter of hours and was laid out on my bed with a stomach ache for the next two days."
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