Ganz Midwest-CBK
Ganz Midwest-CBK LLC (also known as simply Ganz) is a Canadian soft toy and home décor company, famous for its plush animals and collectibles. They are the manufacturer of Webkinz, a toy with an interactive virtual-reality Internet site for children.
Logo for Ganz used since 2019, but first introduced in October 2018 with the Midwest-CBK logo next to it before the brand was phased out in 2019 | |
| Formerly | Ganz Bros (1950-1996) Ganz Toys (1996-2000) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturer / Importer |
| Genre | Home décor and toy manufacturer |
| Founded | 1950 |
| Founder | Samuel Ganz and children Sam, Jack and Miriam |
| Headquarters | Woodbridge, Ontario , |
| Products | Webkinz |
| Divisions | Ganz World (2005-present) |
| Subsidiaries | Midwest-CBK (2012-2018) |
| Website | http://www.ganz.com/ |
Founded in 1950 by Holocaust survivors Samuel Ganz and his sons Jack and Sam Ganz, it was originally called Ganz Bros Toys and sold products for the Canadian home market. They were also carnival suppliers and manufactured many products in their own factory. A private company with headquarters just north of Toronto in Woodbridge, Ontario, Ganz is known as a user of Ty's copyrighted TyTips fabric, which is used for several of the older Webkinz.
The success of Webkinz, first released in 2005, and other similar items helped the fortunes of the Ganz family who then decided to start The Webkinz Foundation. The Webkinz Foundation was a charitable organization that focused on supporting children's programs worldwide and provided the company with valuable marketing and tax benefits. It quietly closed in 2015.
On October 2, 2012, Ganz bought Midwest-CBK, a Minnesota based home décor company founded in 1979. They eventually merged in October 2018.