Trudeau Corporation is proud to be recognized as a leader in the design and development of kitchenware and housewares products. Since 1889, four successive generations have managed Trudeau Corporation, instilling the values of family and tradition into their corporate culture. Trudeau Corporation owes their success to the efforts of an experienced and dedicated team, to the creative input of talented design partners and to the expertise of carefully chosen manufacturers.
Bringing innovation and the perfect combination of simplicity and sophistication to the preparation and presentation of food and drink is a driving force for product development at Trudeau Corporation. They pride themselves on offering products of exceptional quality, recognizable by their distinctive Trudeau design.
Trudeau’s head office, which includes their main showroom and warehouse, is located in Boucherville, Quebec, near Montreal. They also have an office, showroom, and warehouse in Woodridge, Illinois, near Chicago, and satellite offices in Spain, England, the Netherlands and China.
These facilities along with our unparalleled customer service allow them to cater to the needs of their valuable retailers and customers, in over 70 countries. Trudeau offers turnkey solutions and a variety of effective merchandising tools to maximize in-store sales for our retail partners.
Drawing on a rich tradition and solid experience in the kitchen and housewares field, Trudeau looks forward to inspiring foodies with authentic and tasteful products for years to come.
Trudeau History
1889: Trudeau’s roots can be traced to The General Bazaar Company, an importer of housewares and giftware, founded in Montreal by two French merchants: Baron Louis de la Polinière and Count Jean de Plan de Sieyès, who hire Mr. Joseph-Raoul Genin as manager and Mr. Joseph-Arthur Trudeau as accountant.
1892: Joseph-Arthur Trudeau is ambitious, and he wants the company to be successful, which is why he decided to study commerce at the Catholic Commercial Academy during the school year 1891-1892.
1904: Joseph-Raoul Genin’s and Joseph-Arthur Trudeau become proprietors and carry on the business under the name Genin, Trudeau & Cie Limitée. Upon Mr. Genin’s death in 1919, Mr. Trudeau becomes the president.
1919: Beginning a tradition that will span many decades and drive countless innovations, J.-Arthur Trudeau invests his heart and soul in the business. While the initial focus is on the distribution of imported articles such as smokers’ accessories and religious articles, Trudeau soon starts diversifying. He begins by manufacturing his own pipes out of briar imported from Saint-Claude, France, and by stamping religious medals in his own small basement workshop. By then, Genin, Trudeau occupies a lovely building near the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal.
1929: Two of J.-Arthur Trudeau’s sons, Charles-Auguste and Paul C., join their father in the family business. Charles-Auguste will serve more than 30 years as a sales representative at Genin, Trudeau, in Ontario.
1945: Paul C., a Lieutenant-Colonel with the Mont-Royal Fusiliers Regiment, becomes the company’s president upon receiving his discharge from the Canadian Army. He will remain in this position until his death in 1961.
This second generation of Trudeaus focuses on the development of an extensive distribution network, emphasizing brand name small electrical accessories. They also import a range of decorative crystal giftware from France and Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic and Slovakia).
1967: Robert L. Trudeau, one of Paul C.’s sons, joins the Company as representative of the Third Generation of Trudeaus. To adapt to the challenges of a changing marketplace, Robert L. adapts the business practices developed by his father and by his grandfather, thus turning Genin, Trudeau into a modern dynamic company.
While Genin, Trudeau remains dedicated to selling its established range of products, Robert L. encourages the company’s innovative side, which constitutes part of its founding principles.
The result of Robert L.’s efforts lead to a successful range of tableware called “Céramiques de Beauce”.
1971: Always aware of new trends Robert L. turns to Europe and to Asia to find new and exciting products. Genin, Trudeau begins to add new exclusive ranges, particularly in housewares and practical giftware, as well as collectible porcelain figurines.
These initiatives, combined with the constant growth of the business, begin to fill the building in Old Montreal.
1976: Genin, Trudeau decides to prepare for the future by building a modern distribution center in Boucherville, a few miles outside Montreal on the Trans-Canada Highway. These premises still house the company’s head office.
1984: Genin, Trudeau begins exporting its products across the world and experiences significant growth in many countries especially through its range of children’s tableware.