Judd Zebersky did not come from the toy industry. He came from the law. After earning a JD from the University of Miami School of Law and practicing at a firm he started himself, he pivoted in 1997 to something his legal training could not have fully prepared him for: manufacturing toys in China from the ground up. He arrived in China without industry contacts or factory experience and spent months learning the work directly. Judd Zebersky absorbed blow molding, injection molding, and rotocasting techniques by watching factory workers in the south of China. He learned hair rooting and engineering specifications on the floor rather than in a manual. That hands-on knowledge became one of the foundations on which Jazwares was built.
Scaling Through Licensing and Acquisition
The company grew its early profile through licensed entertainment brands. Minecraft, Fortnite, and Sonic the Hedgehog were among the properties that put Jazwares products on shelves at major retailers. Two acquisitions reshaped the portfolio: Wicked Cool Toys in 2019 brought in Pokémon; Kellytoy in 2020 brought in Squishmallows.
Squishmallows became a generational product. Each figure carried a name, a squishday, and a biographical backstory, making them collectible in a way that soft plush toys rarely are. TikTok compressed the timeline from niche curiosity to mainstream obsession. Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian publicly engaged with the brand. More than 100 million units sold in one year, with most priced between $5 and $30.
Alleghany Capital Corporation began backing Jazwares in 2014. By 2016, it held a majority interest. Berkshire Hathaway absorbed Jazwares through its 2022 acquisition of Alleghany, completing a capital journey few founders of toy startups ever experience.
A Legacy Built on More Than Toys
Judd Zebersky established Jazwares Cares at the company’s founding and maintained it as a genuine operational priority rather than a publicity vehicle. The organization has donated millions of toys to children’s hospitals, Title I schools, and nonprofits such as Make-A-Wish, Toys for Tots, and Ronald McDonald House. The Zebersky family also donated $2 million to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.
Zebersky received the South Florida Business Journal’s Ultimate CEOs recognition in 2024 and appeared on The Business Report’s Top 50 Entrepreneurs list in 2023. He stepped down as CEO on March 20, 2026. David Neustein, his long-serving COO, took over on March 23. Jazwares now employs approximately 1,400 people and distributes products in more than 100 countries. Refer to this article for related information.
More about Judd Zebersky on https://www.jazwares.com/about-us/leadership