How Pet’s Up built Chewllagen into its flagship chew

When Pet’s Up launched Chewllagen, the aim was to offer dog owners the long-lasting appeal of a hide chew in a format that is fully digestible. The product has since become the company’s flagship and bestseller.

Founded in 2001 as Lennox UK, the business began as a specialist in natural hide chews sourced from South America. Andres Rodriguez, a former Lennox employee, acquired the company in 2014 and co-founded Pet’s Up the following year to focus on brand development and international distribution.

Headquartered in Essex, UK, and Oldenzaal in the Netherlands, the company is now present in more than 20 European countries and was named Exporter of the Year at the 2023 Pet Industry Federation (PIF) Awards.

From hide to collagen

Chewllagen is made from collagen extracted from South American grass-fed cattle hide. The collagen proteins, mainly type 1 and type 3, are hydrolyzed through a heating process into smaller, more easily digestible molecules.

The collagen is then shaped and baked, giving it a bread-like texture, before being dipped in real beef or chicken.

The result is a fully digestible chew that doubles as a natural source of protein. The Classic range spans rolls in several lengths, mini and medium multipacks, a small donut and chips, sold in retail-ready display boxes.

A super premium extension

The company has since taken the concept a step further with Chewllagen Bar.

Where the original relies on pure collagen and a meat coating, the bar combines beef collagen with tapioca, resveratrol, vitamin C sources and a supplement of essential vitamins and minerals.

The bar is grain-, gluten-, sugar- and GMO-free, and comes in cheese, peanut butter and beef flavors across small, medium and large sizes. Pet’s Up positions the two products as complementary rather than competing: the Classic as an affordable premium collagen treat, the bar as a super premium evolution of the same concept.

Alongside its branded portfolio, the company continues to support private label customers, applying the same manufacturing expertise to develop competitively priced products for their catalogs.

Partnership opportunities

Retailers and distributors interested in stocking Chewllagen, or in private label development, can contact the company via info@petsup.co.uk or visit the website.