New York (NY) & Boston (MA) June 29, 2021 – J&R Victoriaville & Co. and Legacy Tribute Inc. are proud to announce a merger of their operations in New York and Boston and at the same time the launch of a new division to provide technology and business solutions to Funeral Homes.

J&R has been a leading funeral products provider serving New York City and its metropolitan area since 1923 and was acquired by Victoriaville & Co. in 2017. Legacy Tribute distributes caskets and funeral products across New England and has developed a suite of technology and business solutions for Funeral Professionals. The two companies are joining forces under the newly formed Victoriaville & Co. (USA) banner and will provide Funeral Homes across the Northeast with a strong, family owned, independent alternative for caskets, cremation and memorial products. Both J&R and Legacy Tribute share a common purpose and passion to provide the very highest quality products and the very best customer service possible, and this merger will make the new combined company stronger and better positioned to meet the changing needs of both Funeral Homes and the client families that they serve.

In addition to an enhanced portfolio of product options, the merger is also a direct response to the challenges that have been very clearly highlighted by Covid. The experiences of Funeral Homes everywhere, and the results of recent consumer surveys, all point to the need for an investment in technology and marketing to enable Funeral Homes to provide an enhanced experience for client families. The investment in a new dedicated division - Legacy Tribute Solutions - is directly in response to these challenges. LT Solutions will provide exciting new offerings including an innovative Funeral Home Management system, website design, live streaming and tribute video solutions, in addition to marketing and merchandising support.

This will help provide better experiences for client families, and enable Funeral Homes to build long term foundations for future success.

 Charles-Olivier Dumont, Vice-President Sales and Business Development of Victoriaville & Co. added that ‘‘The union of both companies provides funeral homes with the finest selection of North American made caskets and commemorative products, as well as providing tailored business solutions to help deliver long term success for our customers’’. ‘‘Bringing the Legacy Tribute team into the Victoriaville & Co. family will enable us to further improve the service we provide to existing customers, expand our distribution network and make our successful, disposition-neutral merchandising solutions accessible to more funeral homes’’ said Louis Brousseau, Executive Vice-President of the newly formed Victoriaville & Co. (USA). ‘‘Together we have an experienced, passionate and forward-thinking team, dedicated to building strong foundations for our customers’ futures. The unified team will do more than either team could have accomplished alone.’’ added Alain Dumont, president & CEO of Victoriaville & Co.

‘‘We are very excited about this merger. Joining forces under the Victoriaville & Co. banner provides us with a great foundation to build for the long term and provides a really strong option for family-owned funeral homes who would prefer to deal with an independent, family-owned supply partner.’’ said John Finlay, President of Legacy Tribute. ‘‘The formation of Legacy Tribute Solutions is particularly exciting as it will enable us to truly be a complete solution provider to our Funeral Home customers.’’ added Jim Muirhead, Legacy Tribute’s Director of Business Development.

 ABOUT VICTORIAVILLE & CO. Founded in 1907 and committed exclusively to the funeral industry since 1948, Victoriaville & Co. is a fourth-generation family business that employs hundreds of people in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Victoriaville & Co. has become the third-largest manufacturer of hardwood caskets in North America and one of the leading distributors of funeral products.

ABOUT LEGACY TRIBUTE INC. Based near Boston MA, Legacy Tribute is an independent family owned and operated business and provides the finest selection of North American made caskets and commemorative products. The company is committed to helping Funeral Professionals adapt to the changing needs of today’s funeral market and together to building a long-term sustainable future.