Our history

Kids Preferred, Inc. (KPI) was founded in 1983 by Louis Premselaar. A visionary with a long family history in the toy business, Premselaar helped grow KPI into one of the largest plush toy manufacturers in the world. The Company is known for bringing superior quality, uniquely designed products to the marketplace under its own brand and through private label programs such as Scholastic Education, Build-A-Bear Workshop™, and Toys "R" Us® Animal Alley, just to name a few.

In 2002, Kids Preferred LLC-an award-winning division of KPI-was founded by Louis Premselaar, Larry Allberg, and Laura Perks to serve the specialty, juvenile, gift, and better department store trade. The Company's distinctive soft and plush toys and gifts are marketed under the Company's own Kids Preferred™ brand and through licensed brands including amazing baby™, asthma friendly®, The World of Beatrix Potter™, Build-A-Bear Workshop™, Charlie and Lola™, Elmer, Emily Goes Wild, Guess How Much I Love You™, Harley-Davidson®, NASCAR™, The Snowman™, and Spot™.

Kids Preferred is headquartered in East Windsor, NJ and has offices in New York City, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The Company distributes its top quality products throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand