Disney’s Frozen and The Good Place star Kristen Bell has added another string to her bow with the launch of baby brand Hello Bello.
Founded alongside her husband and actor Dax Shepard, as well as The Honest Company President Sean Kane, the line specialises in plant-based formulations at affordable prices.
“Our products are fresh and fun. More importantly, we use plant-based ingredients and organic botanicals that are better for our kids and better for our world," said Bell.
“As a mom of two, I know how beautifully messy parenthood can be, and that's why we created Hello Bello – a line of premium, super-effective baby care products to take care of your kids from head-to-butt-to-toe."
Available exclusively from Walmart, Hello Bello consists of ten products including Diapers, Wipes, Shampoo & Body Wash, Bubble Bath, Baby Lotion, Diaper Rash Cream, Hand Sanitizer, Mineral Sunscreen, Bug Spray and Laundry Detergent. Prices start at US$1.88.
Shepard added: “Parents shouldn't have to choose between what's good for their baby and good for their budget.
“That's why we couldn't ask for a better exclusive retail partner than Walmart, who is making it possible for us to offer premium products at a non-premium price."
However, the partnership with Walmart has sparked debate online. Shortly after Bell and Shepard announced the Hello Bello venture on Instagram, consumers took note of Walmart's reportedly low wages and anti-union stance.
One comment read: “Aren’t they still anti-union and don’t they still treat their workers like shit? Have you seen the Walmart doc? I think this is one of those unintended consequences thing that gets one into the bad place,” referring to Bell’s show The Good Place. “Actually, Walmart might be the bad place?”
Another called Walmart “one of the worst companies in America" and said "Would LOVE this if it wasn’t linked to them."
In a now deleted conversation, Bell defended the retail partnership, referring to the retail giant's strict manufacturing policies.
"I don’t agree with everything either. But I’ll say this: I spent a lot of time educating myself on their practices," the star wrote. "They do not in fact use child labor and have VERY strict checks and balances to make sure that stays the case.
"They were one of the first companies to tell all their product manufacturers to use non-toxic dyes in clothing (which were harming workers who dye the clothing) or they wouldn’t sell em.
"Their buying team is diverse, and representative of all kinds (which surprised and impressed me). And their economy of scale is the only place we could have sold that would give us the economy of scale to make the product with premium, safe, effective ingredients at a price point that all Americans could afford.
"We believe people shouldn’t have to break the bank to care for children, that’s why we started [the company].”
via Instagram/@kristenanniebell
Over the past 12 months, Walmart has remodeled its baby department across 2,000 stores.
Consumers can now find an increased baby care offering and a nursery design service.
According to Zion Market Research, baby care is booming in recent years, with the global market now worth US$87.14bn and estimated to reach $108.4bn by 2024.