Michael Hope, a fourth-generation funeral director, said he and his wife Janette were "very positive" about the move into North Otago.
Hope & Sons would bring a support network and "a lot of expertise" to an already well-run business, he said.
In addition to its Dunedin office, over the past two years Hope & Sons has expanded to Mosgiel with a crematorium, and has owned a small business in Palmerston for about 10 years, bought after the owner retired.
"North Otago is a natural extension for us. It’s only an hour and 15 minutes away. It’s a big enough business to be fully self-sustaining," Mr Hope said.
"A lot of the smaller businesses obviously struggle going forward as to how they are actually going to be sustainable. When you become part of a bigger group, you actually become part of a much bigger support network."
Hope & Sons, which employs 30 people, has a printing and multimedia team, and enough staff that current Oamaru staff — who will be retained — will be able to take leave more easily, Mr Hope says.
Nevertheless, Oamaru’s funeral services at Whitestone Funeral Services would be "business as usual".
"I think we still manage to create relationships on a one-on-one basis," he said.
"I think that is something that has been really special for us. It’s not a big corporate culture as such, because it is such an incredibly personal thing.
"You’re often friends forever after that, because you have helped them through a very difficult time."
While some of the services would experience improvement through a "trickle down effect" from the larger organisation, "a lot of [services] we don’t need to do a lot with".
Mr Hope praised the location of the Oamaru site, as well as its chapel and memorial gardens.
"On a nice day, it’s a pretty good spot, really, and you can’t really wish for somewhere better to have a funeral or a send-off," he said.
