The Yowie Group has completed a 12 store trial in a tier 1 grocery chain in Dubai, as the Australian confectionery company continues to expand its global footprint.

The Middle East is emerging as one of the fastest growing chocolate markets across the globe, with it expected to see compound annual growth of around six per cent from 2014 to 2019, while the global chocolate market is expected to grow at just 2.3 per cent over the same period.

The Yowie Group said that in all stores, which are understood to be part of a major international supermarket chain, benchmark targets were exceeded and customer response had been positive and consistent with other international markets where Yowie products are currently being distributed.

Following the trial, Yowie will now look to test its products within more stores and trade channels in Dubai and over a longer period of time.

The trial comes one month after Yowie began its rollout throughout more than 1300 Safeway stores in the US, including Northern California, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, and the US North East.

In February, Yowie also confirmed it had secured a major deal with US-based retail giant, Walmart, following a successful trial with the retailer in September 2014.