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A group of revelers enjoying shishas in downtown Dubai. Photo credit: MS Copilot
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Exhibition visitor getting inspired by some of Hertz & Selck’s flavor creations. Photo credit: Hertz & Selck
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Tarek El-Achmar, managing director and sales manager of Hertz & Selck Middle East. Photo credit: Hertz & Selck
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Bimar Project’s Andrei Zavalei poses with some of his perfume-inspired creations. Photo credit: Thomas Schmid.
Largely spared from stringent bans, MENA is proving a fertile flavor playground.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has always been the cultural heartland for shisha. Unlike in Europe or the Americas, where regulatory restrictions have increasingly narrowed the scope for flavor innovation, MENA remains a fertile playground for experimentation. Here, in this vast region, tradition and modernity coexist. Classic fruit and spice flavors continue to dominate, yet adventurous blends and novel concepts are steadily reshaping consumer expectations. Two major industry players - Hertz & Selck Middle East, and Belarus-based Bimar Project - offer fascinating insights into how MENA is evolving into a global hub for shisha flavor development.
Hertz & Selck: Innovating Within Tradition
A most diverse flavor market
Tarek El-Achmar, managing director and sales manager of Dubai-based Hertz & Selck Middle East, acknowledges the global shift of attention toward MENA due to restrictions elsewhere. Yet he cautions against oversimplification: “I would not agree to call MENA a ‘shisha flavor benchmark’ since this would suggest that the region has one single taste profile. This would be far from the truth, because the MENA market consists of multiple regional sub-markets with different taste profiles.”
In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), El-Achmar pointed out, innovation thrives thanks to diverse demographics and a strong expat presence. Meanwhile, in the Levant and North Africa, traditional flavors remain dominant, though subtle shifts toward fusion concepts are emerging. This diversity makes MENA unique. The region is not a monolithic benchmark, but a mosaic of preferences.
At the recent World Shisha Show in Dubai, El-Achmar observed a surge in layered fruit mixes. Instead of single-note flavors like grape or watermelon, brands now combine multiple fruits with cooling agents such as mint, while citrus hints create depth. “High competitiveness in a market is always considered a seeding ground for innovation,” El-Achmar said. “This competitiveness has forced many brands to innovate their flavor portfolios to distinguish themselves from the competition.” But this trend also reflects local consumer curiosity and the need for lounges and brands to differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace.
With North African markets trailing behind a little and continuing to stick with more traditional flavor variations, El-Achmar identified the UAE as a major driver of flavor innovation. With its cosmopolitan population and influx of tourists, the country demands variety and novelty. But surprisingly, Iraq also has emerged as an unexpected innovator, propelled by a vibrant shisha lounge culture where competition fuels creativity.
Tradition still reigns
Despite the rise of fusion flavors in countries like the UAE, El-Achmar nevertheless insisted that traditional mono-fruit and spice flavors remain central. “Traditional flavors are still by far the dominant products in the market. The MENA region has a culturally embedded shisha market that has always consisted of the traditional flavor profiles.” Yes, fusion flavors may grow, but they are unlikely to surpass classics anytime soon. Instead, El-Achmar insisted, the real innovation lies in refining existing flavors - enhancing longevity, balance, and smoothness.
Hertz & Selck is acknowledging these trends, having leveraged its European expertise in fusion flavors to meet MENA’s rising demand. Their latest creations include Berry Cream Fusion, blending blueberries, raspberries, and mulberries with creamy vanilla; and Citrus Cinnamon Fusion, combining lemon, lime, orange zest, and a cinnamon aftertaste. These flavors were well received at the Dubai show, said El-Achmar, highlighting the company’s ability to adapt innovation to local preferences. Yet El-Achmar also emphasized that flavor development is not just about novelty but about optimizing the smoking experience: “Flavor longevity as well as smoothness in taste are key factors that we have perfected over the last years.”
Commitment to MENA
Hertz & Selck’s dedication to the region is evident in its physical presence. In 2024, the company established its first subsidiary in Dubai, Hertz & Selck Middle East, followed by an office and laboratory in Dubai Science Park in 2025. This move underscores the firm’s belief in MENA’s long-term potential. “Yes, we are confident that MENA is going to become even more important to our company in the future. The region continues to demonstrate strong momentum in all sectors,” said El-Achmar.
But there also ought to be a solid customer base. So, beyond infrastructure, Hertz & Selck has invested in building close relationships with local B2B clients, tailoring its portfolio to eventually suit both traditionalists and more adventurous end consumers. The company sees its role not only as a supplier but also as a partner in shaping the future of shisha culture. By combining technical expertise with cultural sensitivity, Hertz & Selck positions itself as a bridge between global innovation and regional tradition.
For Hertz & Selck, MENA is not just a market. It is a strategic hub where tradition and innovation converge, and where the company intends to remain a leading force in defining the next chapter of shisha flavor development.
Bimar Project: Perfume-Inspired Shisha Flavors
Refining tradition, Belarusian company Bimar Project seeks to revolutionize shisha flavoring altogether. Company founder Andrei Zavalei introduced perfume-inspired shisha flavors at last September’s InterTabac, and then again at the Dubai exhibition in November. It’s a concept he described to Tobacco Asia as “absolutely unheard of hitherto,” adding, “If you, as a consumer, get tired of the omnipresent fruit or berry flavors, this product will definitely surprise you.” Even more so, we suppose, in the Orient, a region that has always had a penchant for perfumes. However, rather than infusing tobacco with actual perfumes, Bimar Project recreates perfume notes in the lab, using food-grade compounds. The formulations avoid ethanol, which evaporates under heat, and instead rely on carriers like propylene glycol.
Technical challenges
As it turned out, replicating perfume aromas for shisha use posed significant hurdles. Musk, for example, which is a cornerstone of many fragrances, performed poorly when heated, producing heavy off-notes. Zavalei explained. “The main difficulty was either masking those undesirable tones or finding alternative molecules that could replicate the musk profile without distorting the taste during smoking,” he divulged. After testing over 200 commercially available perfume profiles, only 10 eventually proved suitable for replication. Among them is Bimar Project’s Tobacco Vanille, which was inspired by Tom Ford’s iconic fragrance. Instead of the original’s natural tobacco extract, Bimar Project recreated its perfumed scent using tailored compounds.
Bimar Project’s goal, Zavalei said, is to offer “a wholly different experience to shisha consumers, something to discover and become excited about.” This approach appeals to a growing segment of consumers who crave sophistication and novelty. In a market where fruit and mint dominate, perfume-inspired blends stand out as a very bold alternative. But the Belarussian company’s zest for innovation also reflects a broader trend in consumer culture, of course: the blending of life-style categories. Just as luxury perfumes and gourmet foods intersect in branding, shisha flavors are now crossing into the world of fine fragrance. This creates opportunities for lounges to market shisha as a premium, multi-sensory experience.
Expansion into MENA
Although Bimar Project is not yet actively supplying MENA, the company has commenced testing its perfume flavors with regional partners. For Bimar Project’s founder, the region’s openness to new ideas is crucial: “We are having good contacts with MENA companies and now our flavors are on testing sessions at a few UAE and Egypt tobacco and shisha companies,” Zavalei told Tobacco Asia. If successful, perfume-inspired shisha could redefine consumer expectations and set new standards for creativity in the industry. Plans also are underway to open a company branch within Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Economic Zone by the end of the year, testifying to Zavalei’s confidence in MENA as a fertile ground for experimentation and growth.
MENA as the global flavor playground
The experience-based stories of Hertz & Selck and Bimar Project illustrate 2 complementary trajectories shaping MENA’s shisha market. Hertz & Selck builds on tradition, refining classic and fusion flavors to meet evolving consumer expectations. Bimar Project, meanwhile, pushes boundaries with perfume-inspired blends that challenge conventional notions of what shisha can be.
Together, they highlight why MENA has become the world’s most dynamic shisha flavor market. Deep cultural roots ensure stability and demand, while competitiveness and demographic diversity fuel innovation. As El-Achmar noted, “Brands and lounges are always looking to differentiate their products through exclusive blends and signature flavors.” And as Zavalei added, “Novelty and refinement can captivate consumers seeking something beyond the ordinary.”
Inspiration for other regions
Looking ahead, MENA’s influence will likely extend beyond its borders. As restrictions continue to limit innovation in Europe and the Americas, the region’s creative output may serve as inspiration for global flavor development. Already, international companies are watching closely, eager to adapt MENA-born concepts to their own markets once regulatory landscapes shift.
The interplay of tradition and innovation ensures that shisha in MENA is not static but constantly evolving. Whether through optimized classics or revolutionary new concepts, the region will continue to inspire and spawn flavors that keep the global shisha market vibrant, diverse, and endlessly fascinating. In this way, MENA is not only preserving shisha’s cultural heritage but also shaping its future, making the region the undisputed epicenter of flavor innovation worldwide.