The national debut of Mott's was a springboard for S.R., who had been manufacturing and growing apples in New York since 1842, using techniques he learned from his grandfather, Zebulon Mott. S.R. pioneered advanced pasteurization and filtration techniques at his mill in Bouckville, N.Y., and the popularity of his products began to grow.
After the death of one of his sons, S.R. retired from the apple business, selling the company to his remaining sons, John and Frederick, for $1. After John's death, Frederick sold the company, renamed Genesee Fruit Company, to the W.B. Duffy Cider Company for substantially more. In 1914, the two companies consolidated into the Duffy-Mott Company, Inc., a name that remained until it was shortened to simply "Mott's Inc." in 1986. Cadbury Schweppes acquired Duffy-Mott in 1982.
The Cadbury Schweppes purchase ushered in a new age of innovation for the brand, and in 1985, Mott's was the first applesauce to come in single-serve plastic cups. Six years later, Mott's introduced fruit-flavored applesauces, which would eventually grow into Fruitsations flavor line.