Building a toy company into a global operation takes more than product instincts it takes capital partners willing to grow with the business. For Jazwares and its founder Judd Zebersky, that partnership came through Alleghany Capital Corporation, which first invested in the company in 2014 and acquired a majority interest in 2016.
Both transactions were structured to preserve Zebersky’s hands-on control over daily operations, a detail that reflected investor confidence in his leadership rather than a push to install outside management. The arrangement held through a major ownership change in the fourth quarter of 2022, when Berkshire Hathaway completed its acquisition of Alleghany. Jazwares came along with it, placing the toy company inside one of the world’s most recognized investment portfolios.
Scale Earned Through Product and Partnership
The capital support fueled continued growth in a company that Judd Zebersky had built from scratch. After leaving his law practice in the late 1990s, he flew to China and spent months inside factories, learning toy manufacturing through direct observation and practice. He studied injection molding, blow molding, rotocasting, and engineering design. That technical depth shaped how Jazwares sourced, manufactured, and marketed its products.
Jazwares secured licensing agreements with Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, Fortnite, and Pokémon. Acquisitions followed: Wicked Cool Toys in 2019 and Kellytoy in 2020, which added Squishmallows to the portfolio. The soft collectible plush toys went viral on TikTok, selling more than 100 million units in a single year. Celebrity fans included Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian. Units retail between $5 and $30.
Zebersky stepped down as CEO on March 20, 2026, ending nearly 30 years of leadership. David Neustein took over on March 23, 2026. Under Judd Zebersky’s direction, the company grew to approximately 1,400 employees and distribution across more than 100 countries. Visit this page for more information.
Find more information about Judd Zebersky on https://toybook.com/jazwares-leadership-transition/