Judd Zebersky on Building Jazwares Across Nearly Three Decades

Toy companies often grow through formula: license a popular brand, manufacture efficiently, distribute widely. Judd Zebersky understood the formula, but he also understood its limits. Over nearly three decades at Jazwares, he combined licensed product lines with acquisitions, philanthropy, and a manufacturing education that started on factory floors in rural China.

A Lawyer Who Learned Manufacturing

Zebersky graduated from the University of Miami School of Law and built a law practice before walking away. The pull toward consumer goods proved too strong. In 1997 he traveled to China, where he spent extended time inside toy factories studying the physical processes behind the products he intended to sell. Injection molding, rotocasting, blow molding, hair rooting: he absorbed each technique directly. “I visited toy factories throughout the south of China,” he said in a 2014 interview with Miami Law, “and immersed myself in the manufacturing, design, and engineering of toys.”

The company he built on that foundation started with licensed entertainment products, signing agreements with major brands including Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Fortnite. Those partnerships gave Jazwares early credibility and retail access. Acquisitions later extended the business: Wicked Cool Toys in 2019 and Kellytoy in 2020. Kellytoy brought Pokémon merchandise rights and Squishmallows into the fold.

Scale, Investment, and a Planned Exit

Squishmallows expanded beyond normal toy metrics. The plush line, built around characters with names, birthdays, and backstories, moved more than 100 million units in a single year. Fans included Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian, whose public affection for the brand added credibility without any formal promotional arrangement. Retail prices sat between five and thirty dollars.

Alleghany Capital Corporation took an initial investment position in 2014 and a majority stake in 2016. Berkshire Hathaway absorbed Alleghany in 2022. Judd Zebersky remained in operational control throughout. He departed on March 20, 2026, with Jazwares employing roughly 1,400 people across a 100-plus-country distribution network. David Neustein, COO for 14 years, became CEO on March 23, 2026. See related link for additional information.

Visit his page on https://jazwares.uk/about-us/leadership, to learn more.