Lah, Fred & Sam

Samran Peangtang, owner & production manager

Sam comes to this business from a 30-year career in the hospitality industry. The Lamphun native spent his early years as a novice monk in Wat Mahawan and took his higher education at Chiangmai’s Rajaphat University.

Sam’s take on business could be summed up this way: “You do the best you can to bring pleasure and satisfaction to the customer with the best product and service possible, with a promise to be totally ethical, honest and trustworthy. He does not subscribe to the motto: “Bigger is better” or “A lot of money is better than having enough money.” For Sam, service to others is the main reason he gets involved in meaningful work, not money. He gets satisfaction from knowing Crunchy Monkey granola is a product that benefits those who choose it.

Frank Miller

Frank Miller, founder and business development & marketing consultant

Frank retired from the food and beverage trade in the US in 2003, and moved to Thailand in November, 2004. His introduction to Asia was in 1964, when he went to India to teach English. In 1968 he settled in Seattle, Washington, USA. His higher education is in fine arts and educational administration, while his career(s) focused on the food service, bakery, café and tea industries. He has owned and operated four bakeries, five cafes and restaurants (not concurrently) during his lifetime.

Frank began baking in Thailand, experimenting with bread, cookie and granola recipes during the long, hot, free Chiangmai afternoons. He settled on a hearty, crunchy American-style granola which he occasionally would share with visitors. Some exclaimed “this is the best granola I’ve ever tasted!” By 2010, encouraged by the reception the product was getting around Chiangmai, Frank’s partner, Sam, quit his day job at the Four Seasons Resort Hotel, Chiangmai, and together they launched Crunchy Monkey.

Lah Peangtang Srisa, baker-packager

Samran’s young sister from Lamphun, single mother to his 10-year old nephew, Fred, works tirelessly making by hand batch-upon-batch of granola, standing in front of our hot double-deck oven in her drooping apron. She packs up thousands of bags of fresh granola for shipment to customers throughout Thailand. More than anyone else, Lah is responsible for the fresh, crunchy, consistently good taste of our granola. Thanks, Lah!