Angelo Motta
Encyclopedia
Angelo Motta was an Italian entrepreneur, founder of the food company Motta. He is associated with the commercial production of the sweet yeast bread panettone
.
Motta later served as a finance minister in the cabinets of Alcide De Gasperi
during the 1950s.
commune of Gessate
in 1890 and in the early years of the twentieth century served an apprenticeship in Treviglio
and Milan
as a pasticceria artisan (a pastry baker).He was awarded his articles of work at the age of seventeen and following service in the First World War in 1919 he opened his first bakery at viale Cosica producing a variety of breads including the aromatic sweet Milanese yeast bread panettone
(or in Milanese
panaton).
By 1921 he was using special baking paper to produce a distinctive dome liked version of the festive bread. Motta and his rival panettone maker Gioacchino Alemagna are credited with the industrialisation of panettone from its Milanese origins to a staple of the Italian Christmas. By 1930 production had expanded considerably 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.
Motta’s edge in the production of panettone was to create a distinctive high dome shape to his bread that replaced the older style of flatter panettone as the standard. His startling success saw his company expand considerably during the inter war years with Motta foods introducing new breads including a celebratory Easter bread known as a Colomba di Pasqua
, a dove shaped yeast bread that uses panettone yeast but contains less fruit. In many companies, panettone became the de rigueur holiday gift to give to staff. Top artists were commissioned by Motta to immortalize his bread in advertisements. Prices were slashed to attract yet more consumers. It is estimated that panettone is now sold in seventy five countries.
After the war Motta's also manufactured ice cream including the famous brands Mottarello and Coppa del Nonno (Grandfather's cup). Motta's continued as an independent company until 1970 when it became state controlled.
The Motta and Alemagna brands are now owned by Bauli an Italian bakery company based in Verona
having previously passed through the hands of Nestlé
for a period in the late 1990s.
(Democrazia Cristiana, DC) in several of the post war cabinets of prime minister Alcide De Gasperi
(1881–1954).
He died in December 1957.
a prestigious catholic chivalric order.
Motta was also a Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
.
Panettone
thumb|200px|right|A non-traditionally shaped panettone loaf.Panettone is a type of sweet bread loaf originally from Milan , usually prepared and enjoyed for Christmas and New Year in Italy, Malta, Brazil, Germany and Switzerland, and is one of the symbols of the city of Milan. Maltese nationals are...
.
Motta later served as a finance minister in the cabinets of Alcide De Gasperi
Alcide De Gasperi
Alcide De Gasperi was an Italian statesman and politician and founder of the Christian Democratic Party. From 1945 to 1953 he was the prime minister of eight successive coalition governments. His eight-year rule remains a landmark of political longevity for a leader in modern Italian politics...
during the 1950s.
Biography
Angelo Motta was born in the LombardyLombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
commune of Gessate
Gessate
Gessate is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 25 km northeast of Milan. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,496 and an area of 7.8 km²....
in 1890 and in the early years of the twentieth century served an apprenticeship in Treviglio
Treviglio
Treviglio is a town and comune in the province of Bergamo, in Lombardy, northern Italy. It lies 20 km south of the capital city, in the lower territory called "Bassa" marked by the Adda and the Serio rivers....
and Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
as a pasticceria artisan (a pastry baker).He was awarded his articles of work at the age of seventeen and following service in the First World War in 1919 he opened his first bakery at viale Cosica producing a variety of breads including the aromatic sweet Milanese yeast bread panettone
Panettone
thumb|200px|right|A non-traditionally shaped panettone loaf.Panettone is a type of sweet bread loaf originally from Milan , usually prepared and enjoyed for Christmas and New Year in Italy, Malta, Brazil, Germany and Switzerland, and is one of the symbols of the city of Milan. Maltese nationals are...
(or in Milanese
Milanese
Milanese is the central variety of the Western Lombard language spoken in the city and province of Milan....
panaton).
By 1921 he was using special baking paper to produce a distinctive dome liked version of the festive bread. Motta and his rival panettone maker Gioacchino Alemagna are credited with the industrialisation of panettone from its Milanese origins to a staple of the Italian Christmas. By 1930 production had expanded considerably 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.
Motta’s edge in the production of panettone was to create a distinctive high dome shape to his bread that replaced the older style of flatter panettone as the standard. His startling success saw his company expand considerably during the inter war years with Motta foods introducing new breads including a celebratory Easter bread known as a Colomba di Pasqua
Colomba Pasquale
Colomba Pasquale or Colomba di Pasqua is an Easter counterpart of the two well-known Italian Christmas desserts, panettone and pandoro....
, a dove shaped yeast bread that uses panettone yeast but contains less fruit. In many companies, panettone became the de rigueur holiday gift to give to staff. Top artists were commissioned by Motta to immortalize his bread in advertisements. Prices were slashed to attract yet more consumers. It is estimated that panettone is now sold in seventy five countries.
After the war Motta's also manufactured ice cream including the famous brands Mottarello and Coppa del Nonno (Grandfather's cup). Motta's continued as an independent company until 1970 when it became state controlled.
The Motta and Alemagna brands are now owned by Bauli an Italian bakery company based in Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
having previously passed through the hands of Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
for a period in the late 1990s.
Political career
Angelo Motta served as Finance Minister representing the Christian DemocracyChristian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
(Democrazia Cristiana, DC) in several of the post war cabinets of prime minister Alcide De Gasperi
Alcide De Gasperi
Alcide De Gasperi was an Italian statesman and politician and founder of the Christian Democratic Party. From 1945 to 1953 he was the prime minister of eight successive coalition governments. His eight-year rule remains a landmark of political longevity for a leader in modern Italian politics...
(1881–1954).
He died in December 1957.
Awards
In 1939 Angelo Motta was awarded Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy SepulchreOrder of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
a prestigious catholic chivalric order.
Motta was also a Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951...
.