Jazwares now distributes products in more than 100 countries and employs approximately 1,400 people worldwide. That reach traces back to a single bet made by Judd Zebersky in the late 1990s, when he left his law practice, bought a plane ticket to China, and decided to learn how toys were made. The company he built from that wager grew into one of the more recognizable names in the toy industry, eventually landing in the portfolio of Berkshire Hathaway through a chain of acquisitions.

A Lawyer Who Learned by Doing

Zebersky held a JD from the University of Miami School of Law and had run his own law firm before changing direction. His first months in China were spent inside factories, absorbing technical knowledge he had no prior training in. Judd Zebersky learned injection molding and blow molding, studied rotocasting, and worked through the details of design engineering and hair rooting techniques. The hands-on experience became a model for how Jazwares built its operational teams. “I immersed myself in the manufacturing, design, and engineering of toys,” he said during an interview with Miami Law in 2014.

Jazwares established its market position through licensed products tied to major entertainment brands, including Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Fortnite. The acquisition of Wicked Cool Toys in 2019 added Pokémon to the company’s licensed holdings, while the 2020 purchase of Kellytoy brought in Squishmallows.

Squishmallows Become a Phenomenon

Squishmallows, with their soft round forms, unique names, and character backstories, exploded in popularity on TikTok and attracted fans including Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian. More than 100 million units sold in a single year, with individual prices ranging from $5 to $30. Alleghany Capital Corporation first invested in Jazwares in 2014 and took a majority stake two years later. Berkshire Hathaway absorbed Jazwares through its Alleghany acquisition in Q4 2022. Judd Zebersky stepped down as CEO on March 20, 2026, with David Neustein succeeding him three days later. Read this article for more information.

Follow Judd Zebersky on https://toybook.com/jazwares-leadership-transition/