Zuru appoints Stu Mallarkey as executive creative director. Zuru Group has appointed Stu Mallarkey from Special as executive creative director. The appointment comes as Zuru scales towards a projected NZ$5 billion in annual revenue and doubles down on creativity as a core competitive advantage. Mallarkey brings a proven track record of delivering culturally resonant, globally recognised and digitally driven work. At Zuru, he will lead a newly formed in-house creative agency, tasked with elevating social and content output across the company's brands, spanning categories from toys to FMCG. An epic opportunity. Nick Mowbray, Zuru co-founder, says: "We built Zuru by refusing to accept that incumbents couldn't be beaten - moving faster, thinking bigger and backing ourselves. "The next chapter is about turning that same energy into brands the world genuinely falls in love with. Stu is one of the most talented creative minds out there. Bringing him in is a clear signal of how serious we are about becoming one of the great brand-building companies of our generation." Mallarkey says: "This is an epic opportunity. To help build and shape world-famous brands that live in social and culture is incredible. "The ambition, scale and energy at Zuru is infectious and I can't wait to build something that can re-define what an internal creative agency can look like."

Zuru grows annual profit to $2.49m despite flat external sales. Mon, 08 Jun 2026 0 Comments / 0 New Zuru directors Mat Mowbray and Nick Mowbray (pictured have been ranked as New Zealand's richest family. (Image: Supplied) New Zealand-owned global toy manufacturer Zuru has grown its local net profit 34.8% year on year, latest results show. The toy and consumer goods business reported a net profit of $2.4 million for 2025, up from last year's profit of $1.8m. Zuru NZ released its annual report for the year ended Dec 31, 2025, to the Companies Office on Monday. A strong turnaroundRevenue grew 7.1% to $51.6m in 2025 while gross profit jumped 27.7% to $35.2m, the report shows. Despite revenue growth, external goods sales were flat year on ye... * Deeply researched, twice-edited and fact-checked news * Annual subscribers also receive a complimentary subscription to The Wall Street Journal * Personalised email news alerts, plus gift up to 5 stories a month to non-subscribers Minimum password length of 8 characters. Require at least one upper and lowercase, numeric, and special character. Annual - including full access to The Wall Street Journal $349.00 Monthly 50% off the first two months (usually $44/month) $22.00 All subscriptions auto renew but are easy to cancel. Not convinced yet? Low debt means it has the resiliency to grow when the time is right, it says. Richard Wyeth resigned as CEO a month ago. Demand for steel has softened as global tensions and tariffs cloud outlook. Benefits are loud, but someone always quietly pays a price. Why Airways NZ keeps sending its best to this exec programme. 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Zuru brings music to life in miniature vinyl form. Published on: 2nd April 2026 Mini Brands Really Works Vinyl blends music merchandise with pop culture, tapping into the vinyl resurgence and growing demand for functional, displayable collectibles. Zuru has announced the launch of its latest Mini Brands range: Mini Brands Really Works Vinyl, an innovation in collectibles that allows real music to be played back within the world of miniature. The range marks Mini Brands' entry into licensed music following over two years of development. At its core is a simple but powerful innovation: mini vinyl records that actually play music. By combining chart-topping music IP, blind capsule play and true functionality, the range pushes the mini trend into an entirely new category. Mini Brands boasts billions of views across owned social channels and continues to resonate and engage with a global fanbase of Miniacs. Mini Brands Really Works Vinyl builds on this momentum by introducing real, playable music from some of the world's biggest artists, unlocking a broader audience across collectors, music fans and gift-givers. From global hits like Birds of a Feather, Not Like Us and Sucker, to iconic classics such as Good Vibrations and Every Breath You Take, the range spans decades of music culture, tapping into both nostalgia and modern fandom. These are era-defining songs with billions of streams and global recognition, bringing instant familiarity and emotional connection to every unboxing. Launching at retail from mid-May, the range comprises two SKUs designed to drive both collectability and repeat purchase. The Capsule SKU delivers the signature blind unboxing experience, featuring five items per capsule, including four surprise mini vinyl records and one accessory. In total, there are 45 mini vinyls to collect, alongside standard accessories and rare chase items including a gold vinyl record and music award trophies. Each mini vinyl features a real audio clip from a globally recognised track as part of a fully playable system. The Playset SKU elevates the experience further and is where the concept truly comes to life. Featuring a working, rechargeable mini record player, the playset goes beyond display and allows consumers to physically play their mini vinyl records and hear real music clips from some of the biggest artists in the world. The Playset includes the chart-topping track APT as an exclusive vinyl. Featuring built-in sound, spinning functionality and a sleek display stand, it recreates the experience of playing vinyl in a compact, collectible format, blending hands-on play with authentic music functionality and positioning it as a standout innovation in the collectibles space. Will Collinson, General Manager of Zuru UK & Europe, commented: "Mini Brands Really Works Vinyl represents a major step forward for the brand. For the first time, we're not just replicating real-world products in miniature; we're recreating the experience. The fact that these mini vinyl records play music from globally recognised artists is what truly sets this range apart. "We've combined everything consumers love about Mini Brands - surprise, collectability and detail - with chart-topping music IP and real functionality. The resurgence of vinyl culture, combined with demand for interactive, display-led collectibles, presents a strong opportunity at retail. This is a product that doesn't just sit on shelf, it creates a moment."