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Chocolate is our currency. Stories are our treasure.
From September 19 to October 19, our factory becomes a place of discovery. Inspired by coins found in the UAE and the traders who carried goods and ideas between distant shores, our anniversary month brings together chocolate, history, culture, storytelling and family adventure.
Join us for a month of discoveries, special events, cultural stories, creative experiences, and chocolate celebrations throughout Mirzam’s 10th Anniversary. -
Event Information
Dates: September 19 – October 19, 2026
Location: Mirzam Chocolate Makers, Al Quoz, Dubai
What’s Happening: A month of special events, workshops, performances, and cultural gatherings celebrating Mirzam’s 10th Anniversary.
Suitable for: Families, children, chocolate lovers and curious explorers
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Admission & Registration
Entry to Mirzam Chocolate Makers is free.
Registration for the Night at the Factory game experience is AED 25 per person. -
Chocolate is our currency. Stories are our treasure.
From September 19 to October 19, our factory becomes a place of discovery. Inspired by coins found in the UAE and the traders who carried goods and ideas between distant shores, our anniversary month brings together chocolate, history, culture, storytelling and family adventure.
Join us for a month of discoveries, with special events, cultural stories, creative experiences and chocolate celebrations throughout Mirzam’s 10th Anniversary.
Ten Years, Made In Dubai
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Mirzam began
Mirzam began with a belief that chocolate could carry a story.
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Inspired by the ancient
Inspired by the ancient Spice Route, we followed the journeys that once connected ports, cultures and communities. We sourced cacao from its places of origin, made every bar from bean to chocolate in our Dubai factory and worked with artists to wrap each creation in a story.
Ten years later, we are celebrating the people, places and exchanges that have shaped our journey.
The Currency of Exchange looks back at the movement of coins, cacao, spices and ideas, and forward to the stories still waiting to be made.
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2016
Our chocolate-making journey begins in Dubai
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From Bean To Bar
We roast, crack, winnow, grind, conche, temper and mould our chocolate inside our factory.
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Stories In Every Wrapper
Artists from the United Arab Emirates transform our packaging into illustrated journeys.
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2026
Mirzam celebrates ten years of chocolate, award winning chocolate craft and storytelling.
Why Coins?
A Coin Is More Than Currency
A coin may be small, but it can carry a remarkable story.
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Maria Teresa Thaler
1780A silver thaler coin minted during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria. Widely used across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, it was one of the most trusted trade coins of the 18th century.
Material: Silver
Origin: Austria -
Abbasid Coin
(c. 855 CE)A rare silver presentation coin from the Abbasid Caliphate, featuring Caliph Al-Mutawakkil, who ruled from 847–861 CE. Its distinctive portrait makes it an exceptional example of Abbasid coinage and artistic heritage.
Material: Silver
Origin: Abbasid Caliphate -
Abiel Coin
(300 BCE–100 CE)An ancient Arabian coin from the Abiel tribe, known for seafaring and trade. It features a unique early artistic style that reflects the rich heritage of the Arabian Peninsula.
Material: Bronze
Origin: Ancient Arabia -
Mirzam 10th Anniversary Coin
(2024)A celebration of 10 years of Mirzam Chocolate Makers. Honoring a decade of passion, craftsmanship, and the journey of chocolate from bean to bar.
Material: Chocolate
Origin: Mirzam
Why Coins?
A Coin Is More Than Currency
A coin may be small, but it can carry a remarkable story.
Ancient coins discovered in the UAE provide evidence of communities connected to wider trading networks. Along with pottery, jewellery and imported objects, they help us understand how goods travelled between Arabia, India, Iran, Greece and lands beyond.
Traders crossed deserts and sailed between ports carrying more than merchandise. They exchanged languages, knowledge, craftsmanship, flavours and stories.
This history feels close to Mirzam. Our own journey is inspired by the routes that connected distant cultures, and by the ingredients that still travel from their places of origin to our factory in Dubai.
For our tenth anniversary, the coin becomes our symbol of exchange: a meeting point between history and chocolate, between where we began and where we travel next.
Discovery Note
At Mleiha in Sharjah, archaeologists have uncovered locally minted coins and imported objects that demonstrate the region’s connection to extensive trade routes.
The Abiel Coin
An Ancient Coin With A Local Identity
Among the most fascinating coins associated with the ancient UAE are coins bearing the name Abiel.
Produced during the late pre-Islamic period, these coins were influenced by the currency of Alexander the Great but developed their own local identity. A horse—an important symbol of status and power—appeared in place of the bird seen on the earlier Greek design.
The name Abiel was written in Aramaic and may have represented a royal title. Evidence also suggests that some of these coins were issued under female rulers, offering a glimpse into the region’s long and complex history.
The Abiel coin reminds us that exchange is never simply about copying what arrives from elsewhere. New ideas are received, reimagined and made local.
When Cacao Was Money
Before Chocolate Bars, Cacao Had Another Value
Across parts of Mesoamerica, cacao beans were valuable enough to be counted and exchanged as a form of money.
The Maya, and later the Aztec or Mexica, used cacao in trade and everyday exchange. A bean could hold value long before it was roasted, ground and transformed into the chocolate we recognise today.
In the original cacao-growing regions, beans could be a little like coins.
This unexpected connection brings the two parts of our anniversary story together: ancient currency and the journey of chocolate.
Did You Know?
For centuries in parts of Mesoamerica, cacao beans were counted and exchanged as money.
Anniversary Chocolate
A Coin Made Of Chocolate
Created for Mirzam’s tenth anniversary, our chocolate coin brings the journey full circle.
Its embossed design is inspired by dhows, navigation, ancient currency and the trade routes that continue to influence Mirzam’s stories.
Made from bean to bar in our Dubai factory, it is both chocolate and keepsake, a small symbol of ten years of making, travelling and exchanging stories.
- Aseeda Caramel Mirzam Coin
- 45% Milk Chocolate Mirzam Coin
- 62% Dark Chocolate Mirzam Coin
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Event Suitable For Children?
Yes. The factory adventure and game stations are designed for children and families. Please check the recommended age for individual talks or workshops.
Do We Need To Book?
Advance booking is recommended for activities with limited capacity.
How Long Does The Factory Treasure Trail Take?
Please allow approximately 2 Hours to complete the five stations and hidden-coin hunt.
Will The Cafe Be Operating?
Yes we are open
Do Children Need To Bring A Torch?
All materials required for the games will be available at the activity stations.
Is The Anniversary Chocolate Coin Available To Purchase?
Yes it will be available to all our stores
Are All Activities Included With Admission?
Dhs 25 for all the activity for one time activity per person
United States.