The Untold Truth Of Mott's
Mott's may be well-regarded for its apple juice and fruit snacks today, but did you know that the company has been running for over 150 years? Brand Informers said it best — "This applesauce brand needs no introduction." We've all had fond memories of our parents packing a classic Mott's applesauce in a brown paper bag before whatever big field trip we were going on in the fifth grade.
Although the company didn't do that well in our "Apple Juice Brands Ranked Worst to Best" list, it is noteworthy to include that Visual Information ranked it as the "healthiest" and that it does contain pretty simple ingredients: water, apple juice concentrate, and ascorbic acid for vitamin C.
With fall around the corner and apple picking season approaching, it's definitely worthwhile to learn about one of the OG apple producing companies out there. Here are some fast facts you might not have previously known about Mott's.
Mott's is the first company to offer portable applesauce
Mott's did, in fact, create the famous cupped applesauce you see in grocery stores today. This makes sense, as it was one of the first big producers of applesauce, launching its own line in 1930, according to Brand Informers. Before then, its primary focus was apple producing, which still has wide recognition due to its advanced harvesting techniques. However, when Mott's released its famous applesauce, it was a beginning to a new era for the company.
Mott's then released their applesauce cups in 1985, according to the company's website. This innovativeness paved the way for other modern applesauce companies like Santa Cruz and Tree Top.
Without Mott's, your kids probably wouldn't have that sweet treat to look forward to alongside their PB&J and celery sticks. Currently, they have many applesauce varieties to choose from, including Strawberry, Mixed Berry, and Mango Peach, according to Brand Informers.
It is 179 years old
Mott's has been around longer than all of us, as the company was actually started in 1842 by Samuel R. Mott, according to its website. Mott learned how to package apples by using techniques he learned from his grandfather. He stationed his new apple company in Bouckville, New York, where he used filtration techniques and highly technical pasteurization that drew attention and popularity from many consumers.
The company also underwent a series of mergers and acquisitions throughout the 20th century. When Mott retired from the business, he passed it down to his sons, John and Frederick Mott, for $1. Frederick then changed the name to Genesee Fruit Company, which was sold to the W.B. Duffy Cider Company in 1914. In 1982, the company was acquired by Cadbury Schweppes, and the name of the brand was shortened to Mott's Inc. in 1986. Since then, the brand has not been holding back from creating new products — from Mott's for Tots to fruit snacks — a pretty long way from just being an apple mill in Upstate New York.
You can make some unexpectedly tasty dishes from its applesauce
As stated before, though Mott's solely started out as an apple producer, it has expanded to products like Fruity Rolls and pineapple-banana flavored applesauce.
On its website, you can find some pretty tasty recipes that applesauce is surprisingly handy for. The recipes for "Appledillas" and Apple BBQ Oven-Baked Ribs both use Mott's applesauce.
The website also includes a unique "Teachable Tastes" section, which sorts recipes by texture, appearance, flavor, and aroma, and also includes an "expert tips" tab. The purpose of this section is to help parents educate their kids about healthy cooking and eating. The recipes are also labeled with "adults" and "kid-friendly" steps. There are some recipes on the page that are not made with Mott's products, but of course, the company included some healthy apple recipes in this category as well. Among these include the Looney Tuna Melts and Apple Blueberry Cream Pops.
The parent company is Dr Pepper Snapple Group
What do Yoo-hoo and Mott's have in common? They're actually owned by the same umbrella company — the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. This multinational soft drink company actually includes brands such as Krispy Kreme, Sunkist, and Evian. So it is not a surprise how Mott's, with its famous apple juice, is included in its impressive lineup.
As stated before, Mott's was under Cadbury Schweppes for several decades. In 2003, it unified with three other brands — Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc., Snapple Beverage Corp., and Bebidas Mexico — as Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages, according to DrPepperSnappleGroup.com. In the years following, other beverage companies joined the bottling and distribution network, so Dr Pepper/Seven Up Bottling Group now bottled and distributed a variety of coffees, teas, juices, sodas, and applesauce.
Only a few years ago, in 2018, DPS merged with Keurig Green Mountain to make Keurig Dr Pepper, adding to its already wide assortment of beverages.
Mott's has alcoholic beverages
This might come as a surprise to many, as a lot of us associate the brand with the fruit snacks and applesauce we send to school with our kids. But the applesauce producer does indeed make hard beverages, including a Caesar Pickled Bean beverage and a Clamato Caesar Lime drink.
These drinks aren't visible on the company's e-commerce store, but you can still find them at liquor stores near you. They come in both a can and a larger bottle variety, and are a tasty way to start the night with lots of flavor. Of course, they include Mott's signature fruity flavors, but also pack in heat, like this Caesar Extreme one, which is described as 6 times spicier than the regular Caesar drink.
All of these drinks have pretty high ratings, so if you want to experience a blast from the past in your adult life, check your local liquor store to see if they have any hard Mott's beverages.