Zuru (company)

Zuru

Logo used since 2023
Company type	Private
Industry	Toys Consumer Goods
Founded	2003
Founder	Nick Mowbray & Mat Mowbray
Headquarters	Hong Kong
Brands	Bunch O Balloons X-Shot Rainbocorns Max: Build More Mini Brands Robo Alive Smashers 5 Surprise Pets Alive
Website	https://zuru.com/

Zuru (stylized as ZURU) is a Hong Kong–based toy and FMCG company that manufactures multiple brands of toys and consumer goods products. As of 2024, the company operates four main divisions: ZURU Toys, ZURU Edge, ZURU Tech, and Rhodes Pet Science.

History

The old logo used from 2003 to 2023

When Nick Mowbray was twelve in 1997, he designed and created a hot air balloon model kit that won first place in a national science fair in New Zealand. Mowbray's kit soon became more popular, and had started his first mini business of delivering hot balloon kits door to door with his brother, Mat. They had sold their kits throughout high school, and eventually decided to attend university. They returned to delivering kits after one year of university.

In 2003, Mowbray moved to Hong Kong from New Zealand and at age 18, with his brother, started their first toy factory in Guangzhou, China. They were financed with a $20,000 loan from their parents, which they used to buy an injection molding machine. Soon after they ran into difficulties due to a lack of managerial and administrivia experience, communication skills and knowledge of intellectual property legislation.

After two years, their sister Anna helped them in their business and named it Zuru. Their original company's trade name was Guru, but changed to Zuru as Guru had been trademarked by a different company.

Walmart later expressed interest in Zuru's products and began selling them in their stores.

Partnership

Zuru had collaborated with Ulta Beauty in designing a first-ever beauty Mini Brands collection. Zuru announced that the collection will be available on October 6, 2024, and will be sold exclusively in Ulta Beauty stores and on Zuru.com nationwide.

Zuru and KFC had made partnership, made possible in part with Licensing Matters Global, in development of further addition to its Mini Brands collection, following into other previous partnerships, such as Revlon, FedEx, Tabasco, and Campbell’s.

Brands

Zuru created a variety of brands over the years including X-Shot, Bunch O Balloons, 5 Surprise, Mini Brands, X-Shot Water, Rainbocorn, Gumi Yum, and Snackles. They also partnered with The Walt Disney Company, Nickelodeon, Universal Studios, and DreamWorks.

Sustainability

Zuru has been designing their toy products to be more recyclable and reusable. As of 2019, Bunch O Balloons itself and the stem's rubber material had changed to recyclable natural rubber latex, and its packaging is recyclable too. The company also partnered with TerraCycle.

Recognition

In 2022, Crazy Bunch O Balloons by Zuru won the Outdoor Toy of the Year award.

Trademark infringement

In May 2019, Zuru had settled all pending infringement proceedings with Telebrands and Bulbhead.com LLC for making ZURU Bunch o Balloons product similar to their Balloon Bonanza, Battle Balloons and Easy Einstein products. Their settlement issued a full payment of $31 million final judgment, including additional substantial payment for Telebrands' product infringement and agreement that they will not sell any of their accused products.

In 2020, Zuru was blocked by Lego from making its version of minifigures, as the court found ZURU infringed upon Lego's trademark.

Zuru was also sued by Lego for its ZURU Max Build More building sets, for saying that it was compatible with Lego.

Products on the News

In November 2024, CBS News 8 viewer Alex Long reported to CBS News 8 about an Zuru's X-Shot product that was featuring explicit language at a College Grove Sam's Club. He'd explained, "This was marketed toward children, yet it focuses on rage, mania, and violence, which I found inappropriate," focusing on the new product wording on its packaging. Phrases containing "manic," "motorized rage fire," "berzerko," "mad mega barrel," and "insanity" on its boxes show that Zuru failed to recognize and "consider the current political climate and the prevalence of school shootings." Furthermore, CBS News 8 interviewed a child psychiatrist, Dr. Willough Jenkins, and she said, "There is a harmful myth that people with mental health issues are more violent, which is not true. The presence of these words on a toy semi-automatic weapon is incredibly offensive and problematic," and "believes the language on the box exacerbates the stigma surrounding mental health." She agrees that "research shows that children who play with toy guns are more likely to pick up a real gun."