The Breakfast Club: Interview with Charlie Mack & Shoaib Rasheed on the Launch of ‘Bernard Callebaut’ Chocolate Brand

Date: September 26, 2025
Show: The Breakfast Club
Host: Lauren LaRosa (standing in for DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, and Charlamagne Tha God)
Guests: Charlie Mack (Producer/Philanthropist), Shoaib Rasheed (CEO, Bernard), Bernard Callebaut (Chocolatier, legacy family)

Episode Overview

This engaging episode of The Breakfast Club spotlights the launch of a new premium chocolate brand, "Bernard," by fifth-generation chocolatier Bernard Callebaut and CEO Shoaib Rasheed, joined by cultural influencer Charlie Mack. The discussion intertwines the artistry of fine chocolate, social impact, healthy ingredients, and business empowerment within communities, especially marginalized groups and inner-city youth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Background: The Chocolate Brand & Its Legacy

• Roots of Bernard Callebaut Chocolates

  • Bernard Callebaut's family has crafted chocolate since 1911, making Bernard a fifth-generation chocolatier (03:14).
  • The company, recently rebranded as "Bernard," was acquired in 2018 by Shoaib Rasheed and a partner.
  • The team emphasizes the use of organic, natural, and premium ingredients, and a strong commitment to community service, not just profit.

  Quote:

  "His family's been doing chocolate since 1911. Everything that we do is organic, natural, premium products, premium ingredients." — Shoaib Rasheed (02:36)

Collaboration and Community Impact

• Charlie Mack’s Involvement

  • Introduced to the chocolate company through a mutual connection with Will Smith's team (04:52).
  • Attracted by the absence of processed sugar and focus on healthier options for their communities, especially considering dietary concerns like diabetes (03:42–04:23).
  • Emphasizes the importance of business ventures that give back to the community:

    "Every time I'm saying whatever is I do in life, what's the give back? That's just what it is for me." — Charlie Mack (07:11)

• Social Impact Mission

  • The brand is committed to supporting marginalized communities and inner-city youth.
  • Aims to empower economically disenfranchised groups through both business opportunities and health-conscious products.
  • Shoaib brings his background as a former senior advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada and business experience to further these initiatives (05:13–05:56).

  Quote:

  "Trying to work with communities that don't get the opportunities that others do...not just say, hey, we do this just because it sounds good for marketing...Let the impact be first." — Shoaib Rasheed (05:30)

The Products: Healthy, Delicious, and Fun

• Health-Oriented Sweets

  • Chocolates contain no refined or processed sugar, appealing to health-conscious consumers and addressing prevalent health issues.

    "We don't use sugar...No processed sugar." — Bernard Callebaut (04:37)

  • Products include chocolate-covered gummy bears and pretzels—praised for their rich taste and less sugary profile (04:13, 08:33).

• Expanding into Edibles

  • In the U.S., two lines will launch:
    • Bernard: Traditional chocolate, available online and in stores.
    • Bernie: Cannabis-infused edibles, to be sold in New York state dispensaries.

      "The regular chocolate is going to be called Bernard and then the cannabis edibles will be called Bernie. It's more of a playful...an impactful brand." — Bernard Callebaut (06:37)

• Taste Test Reactions

  • Regina Hall enthusiastically samples the products:

    "I don't do gummy bears, but these milk chocolate covered gummy bears, I would eat these. I would actually buy these." — Regina Hall (08:33)

Business Vision and Empowerment

• Ownership and Representation

  • Discussed the lack of Black and minority ownership in everyday commodity spaces like chocolate.
  • Both Charlie Mack and Shoaib Rasheed stress the need for diversification and creating spaces for wealth-building and reinvestment into the Black community and beyond (07:11–07:53).

  Quote:

  "A lot of things are kept from us, you know, in terms of business, but there's a lot of different opportunities...when you make the money, do you give back?" — Charlie Mack (07:11)

• Mental Health and Wellness

  • The conversation touches on how entrepreneurship and creative industries often intersect with anxiety and sleep issues, believing their product can help facilitate wellness (07:53–08:28).

Distribution and Availability

• Where to Buy

  • Currently, the chocolates are sold across Canada.
  • U.S. launch:
    • Regular chocolates will be available on Amazon and other online platforms in about four months (09:33).
    • Cannabis edibles under the "Bernie" brand launching next month in New York dispensaries (06:37).

  "Here we're going to be doing it online through Amazon...in about four months...the cannabis will be available in dispensaries across New York state." — Bernard Callebaut (09:33)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Health and Community:

  "We use sugar and salt so much, it's like it's killing our community. So for me it was like, no, no sugar." — Charlie Mack (04:23)

• On Business with Purpose:

  "If I don't see a road back to giving back to my community, then I really don't want to do that." — Charlie Mack (07:22)

• On Taste:

  "I don't even like gummies and I've been tearing these...You can't eat one." — Regina Hall (04:13)

• On Strategy:

  "We're not trying to sell it, but more so like, what do you think about it?" — Charlie Mack (08:29)

Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------| | 02:19 | Introduction: Charlie Mack & chocolate launch | | 02:36 | Brand origin and legacy — Bernard Callebaut | | 03:42 | Charlie Mack’s involvement and personal journey | | 04:13 | Product health benefits and Regina’s taste test | | 05:13 | Social impact, prior careers, and brand mission | | 06:31 | Clarification: no cannabis in current sample | | 06:37 | Cannabis edibles coming soon ("Bernie" brand) | | 07:11 | Business empowerment, ownership, and giving back | | 08:33 | On product reception and community utility | | 09:33 | U.S. availability timeline (Amazon, dispensaries) |

Summary Takeaway

This episode delves into the fusion of legacy, innovation, and social purpose as the "Bernard" chocolate brand prepares to enter the U.S. market. Through personal anecdotes and taste tests, Charlie Mack, Shoaib Rasheed, and Bernard Callebaut highlight how high-quality, healthier chocolates can serve both as a delightful treat and a catalyst for community empowerment and social impact. The conversation is lively, insightful, and full of purpose-driven business wisdom.