"Together Talks" feature # 66: Oat of the Ordinary with Co-Founder, Chara Krangle presented by KLS, freight company
Some Background on Oat of the Ordinary
Today's edition of "Together Talks" campaign, KLS had the opportunity to interview Chara Krangle, Co-Founder of Oat of the Ordinary. A gluten-free, vegan, superfood, high protein oatmeal. OTO comes in 3 delicious flavours, Cacao Coconut, Raspberry and Blueberry Cinnamon that utilizes real food and ingredients to provide a delicious flavour you can feel great about.
Oat of the Ordinary can be enjoyed instantly by adding hot water or overnight style by soaking the oatmeal in your favourite plant based milk. Oat of the ordinary are a women-owned and operated business on a mission to provide healthy convenient products.
Gap in quality, nutritious options
The company launched in October 2020. At the time Chara had been practicing as a holistic nutritionist. She advised that due to her schedule and lack of options she had created a recipe previously that she was bringing with her to her classes she taught. This quick solution was the epitome of efficiency while also checking off the boxes for nutrition and body fuel needs. Over time she started to receive feedback from her students that they were experiencing the same difficulties. "They would leave class and head to a cafe, bakery, or coffee shop and consume a quick food item that was high in sugar. The body would work to process that and receive an immediate surge in energy followed by a crash shortly after. Then they'd be on the hunt for another high sugar option to replenish the energy depletion they just experienced. It was a vicious cycle.", Chara explained to us.
She had the formula in front of her as she was consuming it often, but had not considered it to be anything more than her solution to a problem. But over time she realized the problem impacted many individuals. Rarely are there quick options that are designed to fuel the body intentionally, focusing on nutritious benefits, and tasting good. Then Covid hit and Chara's outlook changed.
We asked Chara what made her make the jump and create Oat of the Ordinary, "Without Covid, I'm not sure I ever would have started our company. To be honest, I was so busy with what I was doing, I don't think I could have convinced myself to step away from any of my responsibilities to jump fully into this. But at that time everything slowed down and we all had time to reflect on ourselves and our lives." Chara had a change in perspective, a desire to help, a calling to serve. She continued, "I realized I had created a unique solution to a problem so many faced. I was already helping individuals chase their goal of a healthy life, but I had a product that could assist so many more. I decided to jump in."
Career Arc
Chara credits her career path to her ability to develop and grow the brand of Oat of the Ordinary. She started off going to school for acting. This has enabled her to be extremely comfortable in front of the camera. Chara also mentioned the importance of rejection and how valuable it can be. "In acting you're being rejected almost every time. It taught me not to be scared. And that rejection doesn't mean you aren't worthy or it is a bad idea, sometimes it just isn't the right time", she told us. Then she gave us one of the favorite quotes we've heard to date...
"Rejection, no...redirection, yes"
She also learned over time how critical it was to stay on top of nutrition while on set potentially all day. It was around this time she really took an interest to nutrition. She told us she always had a unique relationship with her body and nutrition, claiming not only did she want to fuel her body but enjoy what she was consuming as well. She then went to school for nutrition. During this time, she realized there was so much pertinent information she was learning that was not available to the public, especially women.
Soon after Chara connected with Almost 30 podcast as their community manager. She planned and executed a lot of their events. It was around this time that she came up with the recipe while she was constantly traveling. Little did she know that recipe would lead to the creation of her own company!
Chara credited each career journey as integral contributors to the growth and success of OTO:
Confidence and comfort being in front of the camera from acting
Nutrition background from school
Community building from managing events for Almost 30 podcast
Partner with KLS
KLS offers LTL and FTL for both dry and reefer transportation.
Our nationwide coverage provides companies a reliable, consistent, and dependable logistics partner to handle your trucking needs.
For more information on how we can help call our office today 708-980-0920 or reach us via our email quote request here!
Separation, Bankruptcy, Supplier Switches
Oat of the Ordinary tackled the gap in available options from the beginning. Quick and easy items are out there, but rarely are they designed for the body. Chara exploited this, setting out on a mission to provide true fuel for the body. She shared with us that in Canada there is only 1 other company that provides oatmeal with this level of protein in it. That company has a different demographic than OTO. Chara said compared to oatmeal options in general, her company excels in being low sugar, while providing protein and fiber. To provide so many nutrients and flavor and doing so in such a quick manner is the proof of concept. And that has allowed Oat of the Ordinary to create such a strong community with a backing that Chara is so incredibly grateful for. However, there have been many hurdles behind the scenes for the company.
Chara shared with us that in 3 short years the company has gone through extreme challenges including:
Legal separation from her legal partner that company started with
The distribution company went bankrupt
Multiple co-packer switches
Enough to potentially sink any company, let alone a start-up. But not for Chara, she relied on those tools she had acquired along the way and rebuilt herself and her company through each difficult situation. The adversity would indeed test Chara and her company, but she refused to be broken.
I had no business starting...
While Chara had the recipe, then the product, and all those past experiences to lean on, she lacked one important component, operational experience. She shared with us, "I had no business starting this business. I had no experience in CPG. I lack operational experience and are having to learn in real-time while building a business, which is scary and stressful." She credits her ignorance because she didn't know any better. She had to learn as she went and adapt. She had to manage all this new education and learning experiences while trying to balance funding, increase in ingredient prices, managing margins and cash flows for a start-up.
But ultimately Chara remembered the goal of the company, "Embracing where you're at, having grace for yourself in the wellness journey. Trying to feel your best every day. We want our community to own each day, without having to take a massive amount of time and effort from a busy schedule." Because she understands the power of this product, knowing the ability it holds to serve and help is what fuels her. And with that she continued to push forward.
She shared with us, "No one will care about your business as much as you do." Last week her company did something for the first time and in that moment she realized how difficult it is to stand out, be noticed, secure partnerships, and scale your company. "You're just a number, one of thousands...", Chara mentioned.
And yet look at where Chara finds herself now. She just completed Oat of the Ordinary's first tradeshow attending the CHFA East Expo.
She chronicled her experiences via the company's Instagram page. Check it out here!
Our community and continuing to serve
Not only is Chara thrilled with the community that Oat of the Ordinary is building, but she also wanted to credit another community. The community of fellow entrepreneurs, especially women. Chara mentioned how crucial the support system has been on her journey. "Being in the CPG space, brand new, and as a women, it is incredible how tight knit the community is. Over a short time, I've created a rolodex of incredible women to share info and resources with. It is rare to find this in most industries and I'm so grateful for this luxury. It makes me feel way less alone on a very lonely journey as a founder."
The company loves to serve and as a result partners with a local school district providing heathy breakfast for their hot school program. As OTO continues to grow and expand, Chara plans to grow this initiative as well throughout not only Canada, but the US as well.
The products are found in over 250 retail locations across Canada and are beginning to enter the states here as well through independent channels. She explained to us how as Founders there is so much emphasis put on growth that often times, acknowledgement of said growth is forgotten. An example of this is a goal of OTO to reach Whole Foods, "I thought that would make us, it was such a huge moment for us. Everyone talks about the feeling of walking into the store and seeing your product on the shelf. Well I got to do that, except they had priced my product $5 more than we agreed to." Not the fairytale moment founders are accustomed to! Luckily it was quickly ratified, but Chara's comments ring true, often times it is hard to step back and appreciate the strides a company makes.
This has led her to focus celebrating the wins more frequently no matter how small. We closed our conversation asking Chara what she appreciates most about her company, she elaborated, "The reviews and testimonials. There is no better validation, nothing compares when I get to hear how our product supports their lifestyle. I'll be having a crappy day, then get a message and puts it all back into perspective." Having the community say that the product made a difference in their lives and the opportunity to understand her customers and that OTO is serving a purpose keeps Chara going.
Piece of Advice
Our conversation with Chara ended with her sharing some advice for our readers.
"About a year in to business I had major slap in the face. Even though I had a bad gut feeling, I went with it anyways. Ultimately I had to learn. Most pivotal aspect is having conversations with other entrepreneurs and people in the space. If you are not sure if you should take a deal or make a certain decisions, talk to as many people as you can. Take all that info and sit on it, then shut out the noise. Gathering opinions is great, but remember that every journey is so different. See what the consensus is then make the decision but DO NOT forget to trust your gut."
The company is about ready to relaunch single serves in 2 flavors. They love this option as it emphasizes the efficiency of bringing the product with you wherever you go.
Want to try Oat of the Ordinary? Buy directly from their website and use the code below!
Together ---> 10% off
Interested in being featured with "Together Talks"?
KLS is booking our upcoming schedule now!
Contact us as we would love to learn your story and share it amongst our audience.
Weekly we provide 2 companies our platform to expand their reach courtesy of our campaign. Let's collaborate!!!
In Closing
KLS wants to thank Oat of the Ordinary and Chara Krangle, Co-Founder, for today's "Together Talks" feature. Keep up to date with Oat of the Ordinary by following their blog on their website, check it out here. Follow along for the Oat of the Ordinary journey with their social handles below!
LinkedIn / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Chara LinkedIn
Klimson Logistics Solutions - Together Talks with Oat of the Ordinary feature # 66
*Klimson Logistics Solutions is an Industry Leading Customer Service 3PL. Our focus and commitment to our clients has us striving to be the BEST customer service 3PL for LTL, FTL, Reefer, and Drayage in the country. KLS, freight company, is a 3PL providing nationwide logistics solutions. KLS shipping services include: LTL freight, FTL freight, Reefer LTL freight, Reefer FTL freight, and Drayage. Klimson Logistics Solutions thanks you for viewing our marketing campaign, "Together Talks". If you have any interest in being featured or questions regarding your freight operations please contact us today!
Why KLS?
Our precise and reliable effort.
We handle every shipment with the exact same process. It does not matter if you move one shipment a year or ten per day, you will receive the same level of customer service from us. When we started this company, we had one goal in mind, treat every shipment like it was our own. With our vast knowledge of the industry, we understood what a customer would want from a communication standpoint. We applied that process to be the standard here at KLS. Our reliability and being able to depend on our consistency is why we have such long-standing relationships with our clients.
Our Process?
Every shipment in our industry starts with a quote. We are firm believers that time is money, thus we strive to have quotes back in a 5-10 minute reply time for LTL and FTL, any FCL quotes are at the mercy of the carriers getting back to us. For LTL we have the flexibility to quote both off of NMFC and also Density depending on the carrier. Utilizing our services, you’re allowing us to use our expertise to class your freight accordingly to ensure we are providing the best rate we possibly can.
Once a quote has been submitted and a client chooses to proceed with KLS handling the arrangement of the shipment our full process begins. We create the BOL that will be used for the shipment. If it is a new location for our system, we will obtain all the important/special details (reference numbers, contact details, shipping hours, closed for lunch, dock/doors, etc.). We meticulously build every detail into our software for all future shipments involving that location. After we have both locations built and necessary reference numbers have been applied we will tender the shipment to the carrier. We use this method because it provides us a real time pickup number from the carrier to obtain updates prior to pickup. Our staff will either email the BOL directly to you or to the shipper (at your request) the minute after the tender has been accepted by the carrier. LTL carriers require a 2 hour window prior to close time in order to schedule it for a same-day pickup attempt.
The following morning you’ll receive an email from us. It will either provide the reason the pickup was missed (driver’s trailer filled up, driver missed the close time, truck broke down, shipper said no freight, etc.) or if the pickup was successful you will receive the PRO (tracking) number from us, along with the eta for delivery. Our staff will track it throughout the duration of transit and advise if anything happens that will alter the estimated delivery date. The day the shipment delivers we will email you with confirmation and the POD (Proof of Delivery), should you require it.
Your shipment has been quoted, scheduled, picked up, and delivered. The next step is waiting for the carrier to invoice us and make sure the rate matches up. If it does, we close out the invoice from the carrier in our system and automatically your invoice is created and sent to the requested party at your company. In the event the carrier has an additional charge on their invoice “Variance”, we will never send you an invoice with an additional charge without first identifying you of the charge.
Let us repeat, NEVER WILL WE JUST BILL OUT AN EXTRA CHARGE WITHOUT YOU BEING NOTIFIED.
You are our customer, we represent you. Should the carrier provide an extra charge on an invoice, “Lift gate, additional weight, reclass, detention, etc.) We notify you of the charge via email first. Second, within that email we identify what is required should you choose to dispute the charge. Again our goal is to honor your request, if you want to dispute, we will dispute. During a dispute we will provide you updates every step along the way. Once a dispute is closed out, whether it is approved or rejected, then we will invoice you as the invoice has been resolved.
For reference, our company only had 6.2% of all shipments go to dispute in 2022 and we successfully won 91% of those disputes on behalf of our customers.
This is our process for every single shipment you move with us. We don’t cut corners, we don’t hide from difficult situations. We believe in being available, honest, and transparent. We don’t ever want to tell you that a shipment is lost, damaged, misrouted, but it is our duty to notify you the second we find out something has gone wrong. We hate to present bad news, but it is part of the job. What you can guarantee is that we will work a shipment all the way through and turn over every stone until we get a resolution for our clients.
Services offered?
Our core business is LTL and FTL. Within these options we have options for both dry and refrigerated/frozen. We also offer FCL/Drayage options. Our company as a 3PL has nationwide options and services clients across the US.
Let’s breakdown our services more in-depth
LTL:
Standard and Guaranteed
CFS (Imports & Exports)
Tradeshows
Hazmat
Anything that is on a pallet can be moved LTL. Typically LTL is up to 10 pallets, but the sweet spot for a carrier is 6-8 pallets at most for an individual shipment. LTL quotes are good between 5-30 days depending on the carrier. LTL can be quoted either via NMFC or density to determine the class (we do this for you).
Volume:
Anything over 10-12’ of space in the truck is the technical rule for a volume shipment. When we run a quote for you we will determine if it qualifies for volume and provide you a rate if available. Volume moves allow you to get a reduced rate for larger shipments. The caveat to volume shipments it the quotes are only valid for 3-7 days and they move on capacity between terminals. If a terminal is backed up they will move their LTL freight first before the volume freight, which can lead to longer transit times for volume moves.
FTL/Dedicated/Expedited: 53’ Dry and Reefer 26’ Box trucks with lift gate Sprinter Van The main difference for FTL vs LTL is space and transit time. For standard pallets you can fit either 26 or 30 pallets in a 53’ dry van. The other main difference is transit time, for FTL each day counts in the transit time, whereas LTL does not count the day of pickup, weekends, or holidays in their transit time.
Reefer/Frozen:
LTL and FTL
We specialize working in the CPG space with food manufacturers. We regularly deliver to
the following locations:
Kehe
UNFI
Core Mark
DPI
Wegmans
Cugini
H.T. Hackney
Netrition
HEB
ALDI
Chambers and Owens
EBY Brown
Nassau Candy
Harris Teeter
Wakefern
NU INC
Long Distribution
What makes KLS different?
There are thousands for freight brokers and 3PL in our industry. Barrier to entry is rather easy and agents or owners will often hire sales people without any intention of properly training them. It results in high turnover for many freight companies and a forgettable experience for the client. We choose to operate differently through our consistency. We truly care about doing right by our clients and prospects too. While we would love to help provide our services to every company we speak with, that just isn’t realistic. We won’t always be the right fit for every company that moves freight and that is ok. Our authenticity as a shipping company sets us apart from the competition and that is backed up by our testimonials. We also run a marketing campaign bi-weekly called “Together Talks”. We interview, highlight, and promote two businesses every week. Our goal is to grow our network, make new connections, and learn something new with each collaboration. Check it out on our website and if you’re interested in being featured reach out.
Our company also runs a year long charity promotion. Book your first shipment through KLS and we donate to the charity of your choice in your name. Our way of thanking you for giving us an opportunity to show you the KLS way and what makes us one of a kind. This entire package is what we offer to every prospect and every client. Our goal is to help provide answers that customers may have when it comes to shipping. We want to always be available as a resource and will always offer a lending hand whenever we can.
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