Ending Single-Use Plastic: Innovation in Sustainable Packaging | Purpose-driven logistics

Replacing single-use plastic is about more than finding a different material. It means creating solutions that work for businesses, meet customer expectations, and make sustainable choices easier to understand and adopt.

Oscar Herrera Varas, CEO of ClickEat, is taking on this challenge through innovation in sustainable packaging. Drawing on his experience as a serial entrepreneur across multiple industries, Oscar has built businesses around identifying market gaps and developing practical solutions where existing products fall short.

In this conversation, Oscar explains how ClickEat approaches the challenge of replacing conventional single-use plastic with more sustainable packaging. Rather than focusing only on the product itself, the company looks at the technology behind the materials, the needs of its customers, and what it takes to make alternatives work in real-world settings. The goal is to offer businesses effective solutions without making consumers feel that choosing sustainability means sacrificing convenience or performance.

Oscar also shares the process behind developing ClickEat’s offerings. Working with universities across the United States, Europe, and Chile, the team researched industry challenges and customer pain points before building its business model. He explains why innovation needs to be an ongoing process, supported by methods such as design thinking and lean design, rather than a one-time breakthrough.

The conversation goes beyond packaging materials to explore what it takes to help businesses make the transition. ClickEat works with clients to understand their current packaging choices, identify where they are on their sustainability journey, and provide information that helps them make informed decisions. The company also supports customers with marketing resources, product certifications, QR codes, and information about composting options. These efforts help businesses explain their choices to consumers and make sustainability more transparent.

Oscar offers an important perspective on plastic itself. Plastic has valuable uses, but the problem arises when it is used once and discarded, creating long-lasting environmental consequences. He encourages people to consider whether certain single-use items are necessary at all, pointing to reusable alternatives as the preferred option where practical. He also emphasizes the importance of communicating these issues with hope and clarity rather than relying only on fear-based messaging.

The discussion also explores how purpose can shape decisions throughout a company’s supply chain. Oscar explains why ClickEat has been moving some production closer to its markets, including expanding manufacturing in Latin America. These decisions consider not only financial outcomes but also transportation emissions and social impact. His experience with B Corp certification reinforces a broader lesson: when a company’s values are built into its operations and decision-making from the beginning, responsible business practices become part of how it works every day.

For leaders exploring sustainable packaging, supply chain innovation, or more responsible business models, Oscar’s story shows that meaningful change starts with understanding real needs, testing better solutions, and building the processes to keep improving.