From Family Recipe to Challenger Brand | Category Disruptors - Laurel Orley of Daily Crunch - Episode 398

Ecommerce Braintrust

DESCRIPTION

The Category Disruptors Series continues!

It’s time for Part 3 in our series spotlighting the female CEOs and founders behind some of the fastest-growing and most innovative brands in their categories.

In this episode, we spotlight Laurel Orley, co-founder and CEO of Daily Crunch—the sprouted nut snack brand shaking up what they call the “trusty but dusty” nut category.

It’s a thoughtful conversation and another strong addition to the series—tune in for the full story.

"There's a lot of FOMO out there. You see unicorn brands doing amazing, and it's so easy to think: how did they make $1M in 5 minutes? Why not me? But you have to stay on your path."

Laurel Orley

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Laurel, Julie, and Jordan discuss:

• Laurel Orley’s transition from a career at major brands like Unilever to founding Daily Crunch Snacks, inspired by her aunt’s unique sprouted nut process.

• How Daily Crunch’s sprouted, dehydrated nuts stand out for their crunch, health benefits, and clean label.

• The creative process behind their flavors, including collaborations with other brand and the upcycling of pickle ends for sustainability.

• Daily Crunch’s commitment to women-owned certification and giving back through mental health initiatives

• Laurel shares how her corporate background provided valuable skills, but also discusses the steep learning curve and differences when moving to a founder role.

• The role of accelerators like SKU, mentorship, and the Vanderbilt intern pipeline in helping Daily Crunch grow and evolve.

• Hard-earned lessons in supply chain, pricing, product launches, and the realities of growing a snack brand during the pandemic.

• Exciting updates for 2025, including a new flavor and refreshed packaging highlighting nutritional benefits.

• The importance of staying focused on your own brand journey, leveraging available resources, and maintaining a mindset of continual learning.