hi! and welcome
i'm nicola -
on paper i'm our founder, but in here we go with main pirate who responds well to aye aye captain! 😏
speed dating, but shipping style
The fast & furious backstory to me is not terribly exciting - at my core I'm a girl who adores efficiencies, can get ship done real fast, and am extremely passionate about the small business space in South Africa. I adore working with local brands, saving you time, money and becoming an extension of your brand.
In 2016 I founded Simply Granola, shipped over 10 000 parcels, cried many a tear, had the most amazing highs and also the most devastatingly lows - when I say I GET small business challenges, cost restraints and trying to do it all - I really really see you friend. Being an entrepreneur comes with its ups and downs, but it gives us the freedom of TIME - the one thing we simply cannot buy with money. I value time as one of the most precious things out there and at Oh Ship! we aim to free up yours so you can spend it on the things that matters most.
When I'm not working you'll find me being mama to our little man, Jack. He is sass, and sweet and the ultimate blue that I use to colour my sky. If there is one thing I'd love for him to be when he grows up, it is to be kind. Our home is one where we live simply, but fill everyday with adventures and a side of laughs. 🖤 Nature, hikes, training hard, taking life slowly, reading, enriching conversations with my girlfriends - these are the kind of things that make my soul come alive. I love to cook, have treats in bed (almost) every night and when the sun rises I love to see how hard I can hustle.
Unfortunately for me, and fortunately for you, I cannot half ass anything that I do 😂, and that's why I can confidently say that at Oh Ship! you are in the safest of hands. We thrive on exceptional consumer experiences and are a small but dynamic team who has your business' best interest at heart.
the story behind Oh Ship!
Let me not bore you 😂 I worked as a corporate Business Analyst before diving into all things oats in 2016. I started Simply Granola with no knowledge, a laptop and a small little oven but with pockets full of grit and determination we have a pretty cool story to tell 7 years down the line. Over at Simply Granola we paid all the school fees imaginable and travelled the dreary journey that sometimes is entrepreneurship - I'm beyond excited about the skillsets we've gained, the lessons we've learnt and the smart ways of doing things we've committed to. Oh Ship! was born out of a favour to friends back in 2021 and turned into a fully fledged business from there in 2023. And man, how we absolutely loved being a third party distributor to all the brands we work with!
After a very organic "official" start in 2023, I realised that there is a massive gap in the market, not for 3PL's per se, as there are numerous partners to pick from but a third party logistics partner with heart and a very intimate understanding of what that entrepreneurial journey looks and feels like, the pain points, the things we feel we cannot spend money on, the dynamic nature of the SME's needs.
I have a deep understanding of costing as a result of qualifying as a Chartered Management Accountant with CIMA. We have extensive logistics knowledge from the Simply Granola journey, servicing retailers like Pick n Pay, Takealot and doing direct deliveries to chains like Spar, Poetry Stores, Wellness Warehouse and Faithful to Nature. We are well-versed in long haul distribution and have made lasting and quality partnerships in this area. Most importantly, we have faced many of the problems you might face on your journey as a business owner.
Skillsets aside, we are passionate about taking your hand, seeing you shine and becoming an extension of your business. You can hop over here to read more about our promise to you; and if Oh Ship! sounds like your kind of jam - holler at a pirate 🏴☠️ We can't wait to hear from you!
some fun facts
17 135
22 572
Orders picked, packed and shipped by our team to date
different FMCG products in our fulfilment warehouse, which is fully secured and monitored
99.8%
accuracy rate, which results in more happy customers receiving their orders on time
0.79
days to receive your order and get it out the door. This includes picking & packing the parcel, booking the shipment and having the parcel collected by our courier network and en route to your customer.
3
pirates on board this distribution ship