SitStay taps Van Den Bosch to widen Chicken Chips reach
Bottom line
Version 1
SitStay and John A. Van Den Bosch LLC have announced a new distribution partnership aimed at expanding retail access to SitStay’s Chicken Chips, a single-ingredient dog treat made from 100% chicken breast in the U.S. SitStay says the product contains no fillers or additives, while Van Den Bosch says it serves independent brick-and-mortar retailers across Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Western Pennsylvania. The move appears to deepen Van Den Bosch’s presence in the limited-ingredient treat segment, which it has also expanded through other recent portfolio additions. (sitstay.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the partnership is less about one SKU and more about where the treat market is heading. Single-ingredient products are increasingly positioned around ingredient transparency and food sensitivity concerns, themes that come up often in nutrition discussions with pet parents. That said, limited-ingredient treats can still be misunderstood as inherently hypoallergenic or appropriate for every patient, so clearer retail availability may create more opportunities for veterinarians to guide treat selection in the context of elimination diets, obesity management, and overall dietary history. (sitstay.com)
What to watch: Watch for whether the partnership stays regional through Van Den Bosch’s existing service footprint or becomes a springboard for broader specialty retail expansion. (vboschhome.com)
Version 2
SitStay has partnered with distributor John A. Van Den Bosch LLC to expand distribution of its Chicken Chips dog treats, adding a regional wholesale channel for a product the company markets as a single-ingredient, U.S.-made option. The announcement links a direct-to-consumer brand with a distributor focused on independent pet retailers, suggesting SitStay is looking to widen its physical retail reach as demand for simpler-label treats remains strong. (sitstay.com)
The backdrop is a pet treat market that has steadily moved toward transparency, simpler formulations, and premium positioning. PetfoodIndustry has previously identified U.S.-sourced, natural, and limited- or single-ingredient treats among the most sought-after categories, and PETS+ has highlighted single-ingredient treats as a recurring priority for independent retailers. SitStay’s product positioning fits squarely within that trend: its Chicken Chips are marketed as 100% chicken breast, made in the USA, with no fillers or additives. (petfoodindustry.com)
On the distribution side, Van Den Bosch describes itself as a partner for independent brick-and-mortar retailers and says it services stores in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Western Pennsylvania. That regional footprint matters because it gives SitStay access to specialty retail doors without building its own field distribution network. It also aligns with Van Den Bosch’s broader strategy: the distributor added Palz&Co. to its portfolio in October 2025, with leadership there explicitly framing the move as an expansion of its single-ingredient treat assortment. (vboschhome.com)
The product itself is straightforward. SitStay’s Chicken Chips are sold as dehydrated slices of chicken breast, with crude protein listed at 80% minimum and crude fat at 6% minimum. SitStay says the treats are intended for multiple use cases, including training rewards and meal toppers, and emphasizes that they are sourced and made in the U.S. For retailers, that kind of tight ingredient story is easy to merchandise. For veterinary teams, it’s the kind of product pet parents may bring up when asking for “cleaner” treat options or alternatives for dogs with perceived food sensitivities. (sitstay.com)
Direct expert commentary on this specific deal was limited in accessible source material, but the surrounding industry language is consistent. In Van Den Bosch’s 2025 Palz&Co. announcement, Abby Siebern said single-ingredient treats can appeal to pets with specific allergies and to pet parents who want to know exactly what is in a treat. That framing mirrors broader consumer messaging across the category, where simplicity and traceability are often central selling points. At the same time, veterinary guidance remains more nuanced than marketing language. PetMD notes that limited-ingredient diets are primarily used in food allergy workups and are not automatically necessary for healthy dogs without medical issues. (petfoodindustry.com)
Why it matters: This partnership is a small business story, but it reflects a larger clinical and commercial reality. Treats are no longer an afterthought in many nutrition conversations. When pet parents seek single-ingredient products, they’re often responding to concerns about adverse food reactions, ingredient transparency, or overprocessed snacks. That can create an opening for veterinary professionals to help distinguish between a useful simple treat and a product being overinterpreted as a medical solution. It also reinforces the need to include treats in diet histories, especially for dermatology cases, gastrointestinal workups, and weight-management plans. (petmd.com)
There’s also a retail practice angle. Independent pet stores remain an influential recommendation point for nutrition-minded pet parents, and Van Den Bosch’s business is built around serving that channel. As more specialty distributors add limited-ingredient and single-protein lines, veterinary teams may see a wider range of these products in clients’ homes, sometimes used appropriately, sometimes not. Better availability can be helpful, but it also raises the value of clear client education on reading labels, counting treat calories, and avoiding ingredient drift during elimination trials. (vboschhome.com)
What to watch: The next signal will be execution: whether Chicken Chips gains meaningful placement across Van Den Bosch’s regional independent retail network, and whether SitStay uses that foothold to pursue additional distributor partnerships or a broader wholesale push. (vboschhome.com)