It all started when Diane’s sister took a trip to India over 15 years ago, where she learned about the health and taste benefits of sprouted almonds. When you soak almonds in water for a long period of time, they “sprout”. The result is easier to digest + more nutrient dense + crunchier almonds!
Inspired by these health benefits + the “sprouted-nut-crunch”, Diane began sprouting almonds and then dehydrating them, as opposed to roasting them, at home. She would then flavor them with real ingredients. She loved the way they tasted, and even more, the way they made her feel.
She shared her sprouted snacks with friends and family members … who were always asking for more! Laurel, her niece and a healthy food lover with plentiful experience in marketing, fell in love with the snacks. Her interest was piqued.
After doing some market research and going to Natural Products Expo West, Laurel and Diane realized sprouted snacks were truly unique from snacks already on the market. For the health-conscious consumer, a tasty + crunchy sprouted nut snack made with all real ingredients, no oil, and no added sugars would be a dream come true.
After a few years of recipe perfecting, brand development, and team building, Daily Crunch Snacks was born! We launched in March of 2020 (yup, right before the pandemic) and ever since have been dedicated to providing you with high quality, healthier snack options that leave you feeling as good as they taste. Vegan, keto, paleo, and gluten-free -- we want everyone, regardless of dietary preference, to enjoy Daily Crunch Snacks!
At Daily Crunch Snacks, we believe that mental health should be as much a part of the fabric of our daily lives as the food we eat. The thoughts and the nutrients you feed your body hold equal influence over your wellbeing. So when you #getcrunching, take some time to evaluate how you’re feeling, disconnect from social media, or take a few deep breaths — whatever taking time for your mental health looks like for you. And it never hurts to check in on a loved one. We hope to make feeding your body with real + healthy foods easier, and to remind you to take time for your mental health.
Diane lost her son, George, to mental illness and dedicates much of her time and energy to reducing the stigma around mental health. In support of Diane and our mission, a portion of all Daily Crunch Snacks proceeds go to The Support Network, which advocates mental health awareness on college campuses. Check out their site if you’d like to see this amazing initiative on your (or your loved one’s) campus.
The Support NetworkDiane Orley is the Founder of Daily Crunch Snacks and the face behind Diane’s Kitchen. After a career in real estate and years devoted to raising three kids, Orley followed her passion, healthy food, and launched Diane’s Kitchen. She learned the process of sprouting from her sister, who was introduced to the method in India. She was fascinated by their process and loved the finished product – their nuts tasted nothing like raw or roasted nuts we eat here in the United States. Diane began to test out different methods of soaking and dehydrating raw nuts while studying the nutritional properties. She perfected her recipe and began gifting and giving nuts to those in her community every chance she could get. In 2008, her nuts literally sprouted into a homegrown business. Their overwhelming response grew into customers all around the country and the impetus to launch Daily Crunch Snacks. She is committed to the mission of educating people that mental health and overall health & wellness go hand-in-hand, and she’s dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health so we can all live the fullest versions of ourselves. Daily Crunch Snacks is a supporter of The Support Network. A native Texan, Orley now lives in Oakland County, Michigan with her family, and splits her time throughout the year between Texas and Michigan.
Laurel Orley is CEO and co-founder of Daily Crunch Snacks. With more than 15 years of media and advertising experience, Orley largely oversees the marketing, and strategy of Daily Crunch Snacks. After working 13 years at Mindshare on the Unilever business, she found herself loving the consumer-packaged goods world, but wanting to work for a brand she could create from the ground up. While on the Unilever account, Orley worked on flagship billion dollar brands such as the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty and staple brands Dove Men+Care, Hellman’s, Lipton Tea and the Suave portfolio. While working on Dove, Mindshare won the 2011 Media Plan of the Year by Adweek $10 - $25 Million Integrated Category for Dove Men+Care and 2009 Bronze Effie for Dove Go Fresh in Integrated Marketing Services category. In the 2012 listing of the Adweek 50 "people who make the machinery of media, marketing and technology hum", Orley was ranked #20 where Adweek stated ‘She’s like a Velcro wall for Unilever—most everything related to the account sticks to her.” In 2013, she was a Teacher's Assistant for the Executive MBA Program at Columbia University where she taught a channel architecture course. While on maternity leave, she kept finding herself reflecting on how she was so inspired by Diane’s snacks and their differentiating factor in the marketplace. Orley then joined her aunt, and founder of Diane’s Snacks, Diane Orley, to launch Daily Crunch Snacks. Laurel, a New Jersey native, is part of the TedxNashville Society of Fellows and spends her downtime raising her 3 kids with her husband, Ethan in Nashville. She loves eating Nashville Hot Chicken, hiking, and traveling the world.
Dan Stephenson is COO and Co-Founder of Daily Crunch Snacks. Stephenson has experience launching startups along with a strong financial industry background. Upon graduating Vanderbilt University (Cum Laude) with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, Stephenson took a position as Chief of Staff for Reagan-economist, Art Laffer, formalizing much of his macro-economic and investment perspective. He later joined the Ingram Barge Company, gaining experience in the finance industry. However, he took his passion for America’s favorite comfort food, macaroni and cheese, and launched Dan’s Gourmet, gaining insight into the start-up business and food world. Dan’s Gourmet originally started as “Mac Pacs” available in the Nashville Farmer’s Market and grew to 6 frozen SKUs at more than 2,500 stores in 35+ states. Known as “Dan the Mac Man,” Stephenson excelled in pitching his brand, scaling up production with co-packers, leading the packaging design and marketing strategy, and charting the strategic direction for the business. In 2012 at the age of 28, Dan was named one of Nashville's Top 30 Under 30. In February 2013, Dan was honored by Mayor Dean as "Entrepreneur of the Year" by the Nashville Downtown Partnership. Soon after, he was named one of Nashville's "Top Forty Under 40" by the Nashville Business Journal. Stephenson is also a regular guest lecturer at Vanderbilt University, Belmont University and Lipscomb University for business and entrepreneurship classes. Dan has used his experience to consult for several promising, young CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) companies, including Daily Crunch. In March 2020, after a year of getting Daily Crunch ready for launch, Dan joined the team full time as a co-founder and COO (Crunch Oversight Official, clearly). A Cleveland, Ohio native, Stephenson now lives in Nashville with his wife, Mandi, and two Boxers, Dino and Boomer. He loves to travel whenever possible, golf, ski out west, and whip up new creations in the kitchen for friends at their dinner club, “JBW” (Just Bring Wine!).
Kenzie Steel is the Omnichannel Marketing Director. She leads the overall digital marketing strategy and works with the operations team to keep this boat full steam ahead! Kenzie received her bachelor’s degree at TCU where she studied Finance and Accounting. Upon graduation, she worked in financial consulting and then quickly found her way to digital advertising. She worked directly with brands and her creative team to grow brands we all know and love! She decided to give up her Texas zip and moved to Nashville to acquire her MBA at Vanderbilt in Marketing and Strategy. After meeting the Daily Crunch team and interning with them during the brand launch, Kenzie decided to sign on permanently with one of the most creative and driven teams out there. Kenzie loves Daily Crunch because they live what they speak - they not only provide the tastiest snack, but they care and encourage you to be your best self!
Grace Runnels is the Brand and Content Marketing Lead at Daily Crunch Snacks. Interested in creating valuable content for our customers, she developed and currently implements our email strategy, designing and writing the copy for the emails that you receive from us each week! She continually works to enhance our brand voice and image, conceptualizing high-level storytelling and content strategy across channels. She also enjoys taking photos and designing creative collateral for the brand. At heart, Grace is a writer with a desire to reach and connect people through storytelling. She’s currently finishing up her Masters in Marketing at Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management, after receiving her BA in Economics and Cinema+Media Arts at Vanderbilt University.
Barrett Guttell is the Marketing/External Communications Graduate Intern at Daily Crunch. She loves to help tell the complete story of a brand and push it to the consumer through community outreach and engagement initiatives, press objectives, and focuses on consumer experience opportunities. Barrett enjoys discovering new ways to engage and impact a community through a brand. She currently is attending Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management to pursue a Master in Marketing, after receiving her BS in Integrated Marketing Communication from Ole Miss in 2021.
Avery Miller is the Marketing Operations Graduate Intern here at Daily Crunch. She supports both the operations and marketing sides of Daily Crunch. She is working on getting Daily Crunch into as many people's hands as possible! Avery is currently a Masters of Marketing Candidate at the Owen School of Management at Vanderbilt University. Prior to coming to Nashville, she went to the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in Communications and Leadership with a minor in Business. Avery grew up in San Antonio, Texas and eventually wants to make her way back to Texas, but is focused on moving to New York immediately after graduation.
Deneen Schaudies is the Nutrition Expert for Daily Crunch Snacks and designs many of the marketing campaigns. Deneen grew up in Atlanta, GA, and went to the University of Georgia for an undergraduate degree. From there she moved to Birmingham, AL to complete a Master’s in Clinical Nutrition as well as become a Registered Dietitian. After finishing up those degrees, she moved to Nashville to work at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. There she took care of many sick children and helped families for nearly 7 years. Deneen learned so much from nationally recognized providers as well as the life skills you can only learn from caring for others. Over time, however, she decided she missed using her creative background and went on to pursue an MBA at the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management. She has been with Daily Crunch since June and has greatly enjoyed utilizing both her marketing and nutrition skills. Deneen loves to get outside and explore both nature and new cities. She could never decide whether she prefers the beach or mountains.