Laurel Orley is the founder and CEO of Daily Crunch Snacks, a women-owned, mission-driven snack brand known for its sprouted, air-dried almonds and bold flavor combinations. With a background in advertising, Laurel brings a deep understanding of branding, storytelling, and consumer insight to her entrepreneurial journey.
In a recent episode of Forktales, Laurel shared the family recipe that inspired her product and how she carved out a space in the crowded snack aisle. She talks about the mental health mission behind the Daily Crunch brand and the power of flavor-forward innovation.
WHAT ARE SPROUTED NUTS, AND WHY ARE THEY BETTER?
“When you soak nuts and seeds overnight, they shed something called phytic acid which makes it more bioavailable, easier to digest and nutrient-dense. But we’re really leaning in with our crunch. Soaked almonds create a hollow core, giving it this crunch that’s honestly like a chip. Lighter, airier, crunchier.”
HOW DOES DAILY CRUNCH STAND OUT IN THE CROWDED SNACK SPACE?
“There’s the crunch, that we’re sprouted, our bold, innovative flavors, our sustainability component. We’re part of the Almond Project for regenerative agriculture. We use upcycled pickle pieces in our dill pickle flavor. You’ll see the difference when you turn over the back of the bag.”
WHAT’S YOUR BEST-SELLING AND FAVORITE FLAVOR?
“Our cacao was consistently the number one bestseller. The dill pickle has, in the last week, taken the cacao for number one. My favorite right now is chai spice pear—with vanilla yogurt as a topper for extra protein.”
WHAT’S BEEN THE BIGGEST SURPRISE AS A CPG FOUNDER?
“The biggest surprises are when I actually see the brand in the wild. I was at the Dallas airport hiding behind a pillar. This woman turned over every one of our bags and bought the Nashville Hot. I was like, ‘Do I approach her?’ It was the best feeling.”
