Warren Buffett & Squishmallows: How these cute toys are making the renowned investor richer
Warren Buffett & Squishmallows: How these cute toys are making the renowned investor richer originally appeared on TheStreet.
Not many shareholder meetings provide investors with the chance for retail therapy—but then again, not many companies are Berkshire Hathaway () .
Typically, shareholder meetings are staid events where investors discuss financial reports and vote on proposals, but Berkshire Hathaway, founded by the 'Oracle of Omaha,' Warren Buffett, has taken its annual meetings up a notch—by offering investors the chance to get to know the products they are investing in while they participate in company affairs.
In fact, Warren Buffett's $1.1 trillion investment conglomerate is revered for its awesome shareholder meetings, even earning the nickname 'Woodstock for Capitalists,' since thousands of investors flock to Omaha for a few days to not only learn the latest in company news, but also to hear Buffett share his personal views on the market, investing, and life in general.
Buffett is famous for solely investing in companies he believes in that make products he actually uses. This includes eating breakfast at McDonald's (MCD), drinking five cans of Coca-Cola (KO) a day, and often visiting his local Dairy Queen for a sundae with cherry syrup and nuts. He believes these products—and their companies—will stand the test of time, and in fact, they have already made him very, very rich.
Berkshire Hathaway's annual meeting took place May 2–3, 2025, at the CHI Health Center in downtown Omaha. Festivities included a 5k run, a shareholder picnic, and the 'Berkshire Bazaar of Bargains'—a 20,000-square-foot shareholder-only shopping event that featured products from the conglomerate's holdings.
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Shareholders could purchase everything from Brooks Sports' clothing to chocolate coins from See's Candies to a limited-edition trio of Squishmallows in the likenesses of Buffett, Berkshire's Vice Chairman, the late Charlie Munger, and 'Omaha,' a plush pit bull.
These adorable toys weren't the first time Squishmallows immortalized Buffett and Munger, either. To commemorate Berkshire's acquisition of Alleghany Corporation, the parent company of Squishmallows' manufacturer, Jazwares, the company released an exclusive set of Buffett and Munger plushies in time for Berkshire's 2023 shareholder meeting. CNBC reported that in a mere few hours, 10,000 sets of the toys had been sold.
Today, the original, limited-edition set of Buffett and Munger Squishmallows can be found on eBay for as much as $480.
But Buffett's 2025 edition Squishmallow already has special significance, since during his shareholder address, the famed investor revealed that he would be stepping down as Berkshire's CEO and Chairman at the end of the year.
Social media was immediately flooded with images of the cuddly collector's item.
View the to see embedded media.
Squishmallows have not only captivated Buffett; they've also taken the world by storm. Jazwares' ultra-soft collectibles are woven from a unique fabric that's said to feel like marshmallow—hence its name.
Squishmallows range in size from tiny 3.5' keychains to life-sized, two-foot dolls. There are a whopping 3,000 varieties of Squishmallows, each with its own name, charming backstory, and collector number.
Their relatively wallet-friendly prices ($10 to $100+) have made them the must-have toy of the decade. As of the end of 2024, Jazwares had sold more than 400 million Squishmallows.The egg-shaped toys are so popular, Squishmallows are even doing their own crossover collabs with Berkshire Hathaway's other 70 companies. For example, not only did Jazwares produce plush toys in Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger's likeness, it also created a line of Halloween toys through a partnership with See's Candy, a Berkshire Hathaway holding since 1972.
The collab, which launched in October 2024, featured Squishmallows' popular bat, Emily, tricked out in a See's logo and carrying a treat bucket. In addition, Emily-shaped boxes of See's Candies were filled with lollipops and chocolates. The set retailed for $40.
Squishmallows caught Buffett's attention back in 2021. The famed investor had lamented in a letter to shareholders that Berkshire was sitting on $44 billion in cash because 'we find little that excites us' in the markets. Then he discovered Squishmallows—and the rest is history.
Squishmallows' parent company, Jazwares, is part of a diverse set of business interests that make up Alleghany Corporation (Y), a New York-based holding company that also includes insurance, hotels, and heavy industrial manufacturers under its umbrella. In March 2022, Berkshire Hathaway made a $11.6 billion offer to purchase Alleghany, and the deal was sealed in October 2022.
Buffett himself has amassed a $155.5 billion fortune by identifying companies trading below their intrinsic value, buying them, and then holding onto them for decades as shares ascend skyward.
It seems Buffett's endorsement has already raised Jazwares' profile, too. While the company remains privately held, its 2022 sales were estimated to be around $59 million; by 2023, that number had risen to $1 billion, largely driven by demand for Squishmallows.
In interviews, Buffett has called Jazwares 'a gem' and Judd and Laura Zebersky, the husband-and-wife team behind Jazwares, the 'ideal Berkshire managers.'
The love, it appears, is mutual. Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger were actually the first humans to appear as Squishmallows. Their debut set featured Buffett and Munger wearing suits: Buffett held a popsicle, in testament to his notorious sweet tooth, while Munger carried a copy of a book of Benjamin Franklin quotes, since the value investor frequently cited his admiration for the Founding Father.
The Zeberskys both left jobs in the legal profession to pursue their passion for toys. In addition to Squishmallows, Jazwares also makes popular lines for Hasbro (HAS) as well as the Disney (DIS), Star Wars, Marvel, and Pokémon franchises.
Overall, Squishmallows make up an impressive 40% of Jazwares' total revenues.
Anyone can make a squishy soft toy — savvy marketing is what elevates Squishmallows to greatness. Co-founder Laura Zebersky is known for seeking out nontraditional advertising channels to sell her company's products, such as on social media and through influencer marketing.
The fact that Squishmallows appeal to both kids and adults is another reason for their enduring popularity. Jazwares has even admitted that the Squishmallows' biggest buyers are adults 18 and up.
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Ironically, the COVID-19 pandemic may have been Squishmallows' biggest boon. Everyone was stuck at home, giving many adults the chance to play with toys again. The cuddly nature of Squishmallows helped ease the feelings of anxiety and isolation that people were experiencing—just hug a Squishmallow and you'll see for yourself!
You can pick up a Squishmallow at nearly every major retailer from CVS to Walmart, but if you've got your eyes on a specific squad member, you'd best do your homework before you head out, because stock can change quickly.
Some stores also have exclusive rights to sell certain Squishmallows: Jazwares was intentional in selecting a 'curated list' of retailers it licensed with, which helped to spur near-obsessive levels of demand.
You can literally feel the difference between an authentic Squishmallow and one of its many knockoff counterparts. Squishmallows have a soft polyester fiber and spandex fabric that is unique to the brand, which also imparts a sense of exclusivity.
Some online retailers, like Amazon AMZN, are so certain of the plush toys' appeal that they have opted to offer specific deals on Squishmallows instead of site-wide holiday sales. Collectors should be sure to keep their eyes peeled.
Or, you could always invest in BRK and have the chance to go shopping at its annual shareholder meetings. As of June, 2025, Class A shares are going for a mere $740,396 each.Warren Buffett & Squishmallows: How these cute toys are making the renowned investor richer first appeared on TheStreet on Jun 10, 2025
This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
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