Few origin stories in the toy industry match the arc of Judd Zebersky‘s. A trained attorney with his own law firm, Zebersky left the legal profession in the late 1990s to pursue consumer products, boarding a plane to China with no manufacturing experience and a vision he had yet to fully test. What followed was a company that would become synonymous with Squishmallows, the plush toy phenomenon that captured social media and celebrity attention alike.
On-the-Ground Manufacturing Education
Zebersky’s education in toy manufacturing was not classroom-based. He traveled to remote parts of China, visiting factories along dirt roads, learning injection molding, blow molding, and rotocasting processes side by side with workers. He studied hair rooting methods and engineering specifics, building a deep technical foundation that informed how Jazwares hired and operated for years.
“I went to remote places in China on dirt roads where entire families get around on a single motorcycle,” Judd Zebersky told Miami Law in 2014. “I visited toy factories throughout the south of China … and immersed myself in the manufacturing, design, and engineering of toys.”
Acquisitions, Licenses, and Global Scale
Licensed products formed the company’s early foundation. Partnerships with properties including Minecraft, Fortnite, and Sonic the Hedgehog helped establish Jazwares in the market before a series of acquisitions expanded its reach. Wicked Cool Toys joined the portfolio in 2019, followed by Kellytoy in 2020, which brought in Pokémon and the brand that would become Jazwares’ most visible product: Squishmallows.
The huggable plush toys went viral on TikTok, attracted celebrity collectors including Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian, and moved more than 100 million units in a single year. Alleghany Capital Corporation took a majority stake in the company in 2016, and Berkshire Hathaway later inherited that interest through its 2022 acquisition of Alleghany.
Jazwares now reaches consumers in over 100 countries. Judd Zebersky stepped down as CEO on March 20, 2026, ending nearly 30 years at the helm. David Neustein, the company’s longtime COO, took over as CEO on March 23, 2026. Go to this page for additional information.
Find more information about Judd Zebersky on https://www.linkedin.com/posts/university-of-miami-school-of-law_judd-and-laura-zebersky-jd-93-toymakers-activity-7249433715506843648-E0Af