Hello Bello diaper factory opening draws celebs to Waco

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A little bit of Hollywood is rooting in Waco.

Tuesday was the grand opening of the Hello Bello diaper factory on Texas Central Pkwy.

Hello Bello is co-owned by husband and wife team Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell along with native-Texans Jay McGraw, son of Dr. Phil, and Sean Kane, and Jennifer Pullen.

All five were in Waco for Tuesday’s ribbon cutting ceremony...but forget cutting a ribbon: Bell cut a rope of diapers instead.

“We sincerely couldn’t be prouder to have planted a flag here,” Bell told the crowd. “We needed a really dedicated, hard-working workforce, and our co-founders are from Texas and they suggested it and we were like ‘why not.’”

Not only is this the company’s first diaper factory in the U.S., Hello Bello is now also the nation’s only independent diaper company manufacturing its own diapers from design to delivery, officials say.

“I think the values of this company, Dax Shepard, and Kristen Bell, are so consistent with Waco and its authenticity and really valuing other people,” Waco Mayor Dillon Meek told KWTX. “I just think that it embodies who they are to create a company like this that’s committed to providing premium products at affordable rates.”

Magnolia Design helped create the 300,000 square foot facility.

“It has truly been a dream come true to drive by this building,” said Bell.

Sources said Chip Gaines was at the facility earlier in the day.

The move will create about 110 local jobs and an estimated 300 indirect jobs, officials said.

“It’s such a great time in Waco, we’re seeing incredible growth throughout the city and this is just another example of that by good, well-paying jobs coming into this community,” said Meek. “Waco’s got the brightest future, I think it’s the land of opportunity, and I only think we’re going to see the economy grow in the days ahead.”

Along with the media, city officials got to tour the new facility during the grand opening celebration which featured a festival of sorts for families outside the building with blow-up machines, food trucks, pumpkin painting, music and more.

McGraw brought his family along with the special day.

He says he’s always loved Waco and now he gets to be a part of it.

“It’s amazing to watch how Waco has exploded in the last few years or decade or so, and I’m so excited to be part of the community, at this point, and give back where we can and be good neighbors,” McGraw told KWTX.

Touting its sustainability, company officials say the factory can make one quality, safe, plant-based diaper every 13 seconds.

“We are so proud of the business, we so proud of the products we create,” said McGraw.

Officials said with the launch of the new factory, Hello Bello has now produced its billionth diaper since the company started four years ago.

“If this goes south in anyway...she is @kristenbell on Instagram, you yell at her, you fire off complaints directly to her, she’ll read them all,” Shepard joked to the crowd to close out the presentation.

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