As things seem to do in my life, circumstances came together this week to have me reflect on changes in the Death Care profession/industry.  First of all, here’s three items that came together to make me think about changes in our businesses.

1. I attended the funeral of a long-time member of my Bible Study.
2. I researched and produced an article that appeared in Tuesday’s Funeral Director Daily about the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and their “Premium Product” offerings.  You can access that article here.
3. I recalled and then revisited the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) recent press release about Americans choosing cremation at record rates.  You can access that article here.

What it all got me to wondering is if the American consumer is in the midst of, or will soon be “Selecting Death Care” by their “Memorialization” choice rather than their “Service” (such as cremation, burial, church service, etc) choice.

Here’s part of my thought process  —  for almost all of my career as a funeral director, consumers at-need or pre-need would come into the funeral home and tell us of their Death Care ideas.  If that choice included the use of a cemetery, such as in earth burial, entombment, or urn placement, they usually asked us about our thoughts on the different cemeteries.

In that format I would suggest that the consumer “selected” Death Care via the funeral home provider they chose.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

However, in today’s world, especially when a cemetery like Hollywood Forever offers “free cremation” to those who purchase “premium” cemetery memorialization I think a different process may be in place.  In cases like that, the cremation, or direct cremation,  seems to me to simply be a “means to the end” and the consumer is not concerned about who handles the physical means of turning the dead human body into the cremated remains.  They are more concerned about their purchase for “Memorialization”.

In this situation I would suggest that the consumer “selected” Death Care via the memorialization provider they chose.

This thought further deepened in my mind at the funeral of my friend.  While he was buried with a traditional service through my old funeral home I found myself at the reception luncheon visiting with another local couple about who happened to be about my age. As any retired funeral director knows, sitting in this position we become open game for all kinds of Death Care questions.

Well, this couple let me know that they are going to be cremated but more importantly, and what is most on their mind, is where they will be permanently memorialized.  As I listened, it dawned on me that their main concern is not about their funeral, the service, or who will cremate them, but where will they be permanently memorialized.  And, for one like me who believes in “permanent memorialization” I don’t think that is an uncommon thought.

So, getting back to Hollywood Forever’s offer of “Free Cremations”. . . . . my guess is if this couple bought a “premium” niche or columbarium from someone who offered “Free Cremation” with that purchase, they very well would take them up on that offer.  My guess is that with this couple, and many others, if the permanent Memorialization purchase is what they want, they would be happy to accept the “Free Cremation” and, if they wanted a memorial service, would do so at their church without a funeral home participating.

Finally, in looking at the aforementioned NFDA press release it predicts by 2045 an 82.3% cremation rate as opposed to today’s 63.4% rate.  It predicts a burial rate of only 13.0% in that same year as compared to today’s 31.6%.  Probably even more ominous in today’s “Service” selection vs. “Memorial” selection article it shows that the “Religiously Unaffiliated” has almost doubled in recent years with no signs of that stopping.

And, if we are not affiliated with a church or somewhere else with a history of “Services” will “Services” be less common and the idea of picking one’s Death Care providers by the who or where they pick their Memorialization option be more common?

I don’t have that answer but I think it is a situation that needs looking into.  While funeral homes have always been “Businesses” they have not always been “Consumer” friendly or “subtly aggressive” in customer acquisition. . . . . many times simply sitting back and making an income out of the consumer’s necessity when the time arrived.

In a world of new “Customer Acquisition” techniques by others in the greater Death Care world are funeral homes vulnerable to be left behind, or not even thought of, in some consumer choice instances?

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

From Grief to Growth: First-Ever Mushroom Casket Burial in North America Signals Cultural Shift

In a forest clearing in Maine, a daughter’s farewell becomes a symbol of a regenerative future.

INDUSTRY, MAINE — June 2, 2025 — On a quiet hillside in rural Maine, artist Marsya Ancker will lay her father, Mark C. Ancker, to rest. But this burial, steeped in love and transformation, is a historic first: the first mushroom casket funeral ever held in North America.

For her father’s burial, Marsya selected the Loop Living Cocoon™ mushroom casket. Crafted entirely from mycelium — the root structure of mushrooms — the innovative casket is grown in just seven days and biodegrades completely within 45 days once buried, enriching the soil and nourishing new plant life.

“My father always told me that he wanted to be buried in the woods on the property that he loved so much,” says Marsya Ancker. “He wanted his final resting place to nourish the land and plants he cherished.”

Since 2021, Loop Biotech’s Netherlands-based operation has facilitated thousands of mushroom casket burials across Europe, but the Maine service marks the first such burial in North America.

Green burial, which gained renewed attention in the 1990s, replaces traditional embalming chemicals, hardwood caskets, and synthetic linings with biodegradable materials that enable natural decomposition.

A Movement Growing from the Ground Up 

The nonprofit Green Burial Council, founded in 2005, has become the leading authority on environmentally conscious burial practices. The organization has documented remarkable growth in the green burial movement, seeing a 72% increase in demand from cemeteries for sustainable end-of-life options.

“The growth we’ve seen in green burial has been extraordinary, from just one provider in 2005 to over 470 cemeteries across the United States and Canada today,” says Emily Miller, Board member and Treasurer of the Green Burial Council “As awareness of the environmental impact of conventional burials and cremations increases, more people are seeking meaningful alternatives that honor both their loved ones and the earth.“

In the United States alone, conventional burials use an estimated 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid, 20 million board feet of hardwood, and 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete every year, according to the Green Burial Council.

Crafting a Regenerative Farewell

Loop Biotech, the Netherlands-based company behind the Living Cocoon™ mushroom casket, is part of a new wave of innovations designed to reverse environmental harm in the funeral industry — and reimagine how we say goodbye. 

“Funerals can be more than endings — they can be beginnings,” says Bob Hendrikx, founder of Loop Biotech. “We created the Loop Living Cocoon to offer a way for humans to enrich nature after death. It’s about leaving the world better than we found it.”

The Ancker Family’s service was supported by Wiles Remembrance Centers in Farmington, Maine, and carried out on private land in Industry, ME. The family chose to keep the ceremony small but hopes that by sharing the story, it might inspire others to consider more conscious, earth-friendly ways of saying goodbye.

“The Loop Living Cocoon makes it easy to create a beautiful place of remembrance,” says Marsya. “One that will bring joy and contemplation for generations to come.”

About Loop Biotech
Netherlands-based Loop Biotech transforms the global funeral industry with the Loop Living Cocoon™—a fully compostable casket grown from mushrooms that gives back to the earth. Strong and protective, it features no harmful chemicals while returning nutrients to the soil and turning every farewell into environmental healing. Soft, lightweight, and elegant, the casket facilitates natural decomposition of the body. Since 2021, the company has enabled over 2,500 burials across Europe. Loop products are Intertek certified for burial in traditional and green cemeteries as well as cremation. Visit Loop Biotech online to learn more and view their full product catalog.

Matthews Buys the Dodge Company for $57M — A Big Shift for the Funeral Profession

Matthews Memorialization (a division of Matthews International, NASDAQ: MATW) just acquired The Dodge Company for $57 million. This is a serious move that brings two legacy names under one roof — and it changes the landscape for funeral professionals.

Two Legacy Brands. One Strategy.

Dodge has been a staple in the prep room since 1893. Embalming chemicals, cosmetics, and supplies — they’ve built a name on consistency and quality. If you’ve ever worked a prep table, you know Dodge.

Matthews Memorialization is already one of the profession’s most comprehensive suppliers — caskets, cremation equipment, bronze and granite memorials, and more. This acquisition is about tightening their grip on full-service delivery to funeral homes and cemeteries.

“Our strategy is to be the one-stop partner for the funeral profession,” said Steve Gackenbach, President of Matthews Memorialization. “Dodge is a leader in embalming and brings a loyal customer base we’re excited to serve.”

Here’s What Changes for You:

Nothing.

• You’ll still order from your Dodge sales rep.
• The product line isn’t changing.
• The same team is still running Dodge.

Tim Collison, Dodge CEO, is staying on and committed long-term. Dodge reps will be reaching out to answer questions, but day-to-day — it’s business as usual.

“Selling a 132-year-old family business wasn’t easy,” said Debbie and Kristie Dodge. “But joining Matthews felt like the right move. They care about their people and their customers — same as we always have.”

Why This Matters

If you’re a funeral home looking to simplify vendors or streamline operations, this opens the door. Dodge and Matthews under one roof means more of what you need from a single source — without losing the legacy quality you rely on.

This is consolidation done right: smart, strategic, and built around continuity.

Quick Recap on Who’s Who

• The Dodge Company: North America’s largest embalming chemical supplier. Family-owned since 1893. Trusted by embalmers for over a century.
• Matthews Memorialization: Major player in funeral and cemetery supply. Known for innovation in cremation systems, memorials, and merchandising.

Legal Talk (Because We Have To)

Yes, there are forward-looking statements. No, you don’t need to read them unless that’s your thing. Scroll if you want the SEC-safe version of this announcement.

OFFICIAL RELEASE: MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF THE DODGE COMPANY

PITTSBURGH, May 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Pittsburgh, PA – Matthews Memorialization, a division of Matthews International Corporation (NASDAQ GSM: MATW) (“Matthews”), today announced it has acquired The Dodge Company (“Dodge”). Dodge is a leading supplier of embalming chemicals and supplies in North America and sells a variety of other related products to Funeral Homes. Matthews Memorialization is a leading supplier to Funeral Homes and Cemeteries in North America, selling a broad range of products including caskets, bronze and granite memorials, and cremation equipment. The acquisition advances Matthews’ strategy of providing a comprehensive product offering to its death care industry customers.

“We are excited to welcome Dodge and its employees to the Matthews Memorialization family,” said Steve Gackenbach, Matthews Memorialization Group President. “As a leading supplier to Funeral Homes and Cemeteries, our strategy is to offer customers a full range of products and solutions. Dodge is a market leader and most recognized provider of embalming solutions and is an ideal addition to our suite of offerings. Our goal is to provide seamless service and continuity for Dodge customers, ensuring they continue to receive the same great products from the same Dodge team. Dodge has a long history of strong customer relationships and providing leading embalming offerings to the Funeral Profession. We intend to continue that tradition.”

“The thought of selling our 132-year-old family business was very difficult, but the decision to join Matthews was the easy part; it felt right,” said Debbie and Kristie Dodge. “We’re confident they’ll continue our tradition of providing customers with outstanding service and products and know from friends who are part of Matthews that they value and respect employees – something very important to generations of Dodges.”

For Dodge customers, it is business as usual; essentially nothing will change for customers as a result of the acquisition. Dodge customers will continue to partner with their Dodge sales and customer service representatives to order the same products they do today. Purchasing processes will remain the same. Tim Collison, Dodge CEO, has made a long-term commitment to continue to lead Dodge as part of Matthews. Dodge sales representatives will proactively contact customers with information about the acquisition and to answer any questions. In the meantime, customers with questions may contact their Dodge sales representative.

About Matthews International
Matthews International Corporation operates through two core global businesses – Industrial Technologies and Memorialization. Both are focused on driving operational efficiency and long-term growth through continuous innovation and strategic expansion. The Industrial Technologies segment evolved from our original marking business, which today is a leading global innovator committed to empowering visionaries to transform industries through the application of precision technologies and intelligent processes. The Memorialization segment is a leading provider of memorialization products, including memorials, caskets and cremation and incineration equipment, primarily to cemetery and funeral home customers that help families move from grief to remembrance. The Company has over 5,400 employees in 19 countries on four continents that are committed to delivering the highest quality products and services.

About The Dodge Company
The Dodge Company is the largest supplier of embalming chemicals and cosmetics in North America and provides a vast array of other products for Funeral Service Providers. Since 1893 when A. Johnson Dodge founded The Dodge Company, its goal has been to help embalmers and Funeral Directors do the best work they are capable of doing. Visit Dodge online at shop.dodgeco.com.

Forward Looking Statements
Any forward-looking statements contained in this release are included pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies of the Company regarding the future, including statements regarding the anticipated timing and benefits of the proposed joint venture transaction, and may be identified by the use of words such as “expects,” “believes,” “intends,” “projects,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “plans,” “seeks,” “forecasts,” “predicts,” “objective,” “targets,” “potential,” “outlook,” “may,” “will,” “could” or the negative of these terms, other comparable terminology and variations thereof.

Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company’s actual results in future periods to be materially different from management’s expectations, and no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove correct.

Factors that could cause the Company’s results to differ materially from the results discussed in such forward-looking statements principally include our ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of the joint venture transaction that recently closed, changes in domestic or international economic conditions, changes in foreign currency exchange rates, changes in interest rates, changes in the cost of materials used in the manufacture of the Company’s products, including changes in costs due to adjustments to tariffs, any impairment of goodwill or intangible assets, environmental liability and limitations on the Company’s operations due to environmental laws and regulations, disruptions to certain services, such as telecommunications, network server maintenance, cloud computing or transaction processing services, provided to the Company by third-parties, changes in mortality and cremation rates, changes in product demand or pricing as a result of consolidation in the industries in which the Company operates, or other factors such as supply chain disruptions, labor shortages or labor cost increases, changes in product demand or pricing as a result of domestic or international competitive pressures, ability to achieve cost-reduction objectives, unknown risks in connection with the Company’s acquisitions, divestitures, and business combinations, cybersecurity concerns and costs arising with management of cybersecurity threats, effectiveness of the Company’s internal controls, compliance with domestic and foreign laws and regulations, technological factors beyond the Company’s control, impact of pandemics or similar outbreaks, or other disruptions to our industries, customers, or supply chains, the impact of global conflicts, such as the current war between Russia and Ukraine, the Company’s plans and expectations with respect to its exploration, and contemplated execution, of various strategies with respect to its portfolio of businesses, the Company’s plans and expectations with respect to its Board, and other factors described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.