Motta was a Milanese pastry chef before leaving for military service during the World War I.

Production had expanded considerably by 1930 and a new large factory was required on the outskirts of town to replace the four small bakeries that Motta was using.

In 1935, L'Illustrazione Italiana reported that the new factory had a conveyor belt measuring thirty metres and large industrial ovens to keep up with production.

After the war, Motta's company also manufactured ice cream, including the famous brands Mottarello and Coppa del Nonno (lit.

The Motta and Alemagna brands are now owned by Bauli,[3] an Italian bakery company based in Verona,[4] having previously passed through the hands of Nestlé for a period in the late 1990s.