The Aspen Education Foundation (AEF) announces that Jack Paley, an Aspen High School Class of 2013 graduate, has donated his business, Aspen Crunch, to the organization. AEF intends to auction the business for sale at its annual fundraising event, the Flamingo, on December 9, 2023, to benefit Aspen public schools. 

Jack Paley launched Aspen Crunch — a line of all-natural and locally made granola and dehydrated foods — as a junior at Aspen High School with support from his father, Douglas.  After developing a business plan, strategy, and product over the course of his junior year, Jack and Douglas sold their goods at the Aspen Saturday Market. The product was immediately successful. The business grew and Jack moved the enterprise into a commercial kitchen at Aspen Highlands, hiring workers to help him with food preparation, packaging, transport, and sales. 

After five years of running Aspen Crunch, Jack has started a new business venture and is now donating Aspen Crunch to AEF. “Aspen Crunch isn’t only a business. For me, it was a fast-track education on planning, strategizing, product development, and sales/marketing. It’s a one-of-a-kind summer business that helped me stand out in my college applications and enriched my undergraduate experience. For any student who wants to create the next big thing, this is where you should start,” Jack said. 

The donation includes all equipment and dehydrators, recipes, and marketing materials. 

Additionally, a few important notes:

  • When Aspen Crunch was last operating, the profit margin was 73%
  • Aspen Crunch has many opportunities for growth
  • The Aspen Farmers Market would welcome Aspen Crunch back to its spot!
  • This is an incredible entrepreneurial opportunity for any student

If you are interested, Jack and Doug Paley are available for a phone call to discuss the company in greater detail.