The name of this cheese derives from the dialectic word 'mut', which, in the dialect of the Val Brembana means mountain, and in a specific sense, mountain grazing. And in truth, the best prized diary-farming is produced from the summer meadows at a height of 1200 and 2500m. The length of the period during which the cattle is at such a height varies from a minimum of 60 to a maximum of 100 days or a bit more, and generally between the second decades of June to mid-September. On the other hand, cattle breeding has always been central to the economy of this area, as witnessed by historical documentation dated XVI century. The production of the Formai de Mut has undergone a noticeable expansion since 1950, when a group of farmers gave life to a small rotating diary which worked for five months a year; since 1988 this diary has been producing this cheese all year round.

The image of a cowbell, the product name, and the Dop abbreviation form the protection consortium logo for Formai de Mut dell'Alta Val Brembana. This logo is stamped on the flat surface of the cheese with nontoxic ink, and constitutes the product’s mark of authenticity.