Squishmallows and the Vision of Judd Zebersky at Jazwares
Squishmallows are ultrasoft plush toys with names, birthdays, personal bios, and backstories. They exploded on TikTok, attracted celebrity fans, and moved more than 100 million units in a single year. Behind that phenomenon is Judd Zebersky, the attorney-turned-toy executive who built Jazwares and oversaw the acquisition that brought Squishmallows into the company’s portfolio.
The Kellytoy Acquisition
Jazwares acquired Kellytoy in 2020, and with it came the rights to Squishmallows. The timing could not have been better positioned for a collectible toy category. Social media had created a new distribution path for youth-driven trends, and Squishmallows fit the format perfectly. Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian joined a growing list of celebrity fans. Individual units retail between $5 and $30, making them accessible enough for impulse purchases and distinct enough for serious collectors. Judd Zebersky had built the operational infrastructure that allowed the brand to scale quickly.
Judd Zebersky did not arrive at Jazwares with a background in toys. He earned his law degree from the University of Miami School of Law, practiced briefly, and then made a sharp turn into manufacturing. In 1997, he flew to China and spent months learning how toys were actually built. He studied hair rooting, rotocasting, blow molding, and injection molding techniques. “I visited toy factories throughout the south of China,” he told Miami Law in 2014, “and immersed myself in the manufacturing, design, and engineering of toys.” That experience gave him an operational foundation rare among consumer goods executives.
A Company Built on More Than Products
Judd Zebersky established Jazwares Cares at the company’s founding, not as an afterthought. The initiative has donated millions of toys over the years and maintains partnerships with Make-A-Wish, Toys for Tots, Ronald McDonald House, Title I schools, and children’s hospitals. The Zeberskys also contributed $2 million personally to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. When Zebersky officially departed on March 20, 2026, Jazwares operated in over 100 countries with approximately 1,400 employees. COO David Neustein stepped into the CEO role on March 23, 2026. Read this article for additional information.
More 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