Dobson's Mega Lollies turn up in pick 'n' mix tubs and market stalls all over the country, but the name on the jar traces back to one family-run factory in West Yorkshire that's been in the same hands for five generations.
From bridal cakes to boiled sweets
Joseph Dobson & Sons was founded in 1850, when Joseph Dobson — orphaned young and raised by his grandparents in York, where he trained with the confectioners Cravens of York — moved to Elland with his wife Eleanor to claim his inheritance. The business started out making bridal cakes and funeral biscuits before moving into the boiled sweets the Dobson name is now known for, including Victorian-era Voice Tablets and Conversation Lozenges embossed with moral messages for the buyer.
A mixture born from a fall down the stairs
Dobson's best-known jarred sweet has an origin story to match Bassett's Allsorts: Yorkshire Mixture is said to have been created when Thomas John Dobson, one of Joseph's sons, tumbled down the factory stairs carrying an armful of different sweets, mixing them together on the way down. Whatever the exact truth of it, the mixture stuck, and it's still sold today — we carry the jarred Dobson's Yorkshire Mixture.
Still made in the original Elland factory
Dobson's continues to manufacture and pack its sweets in the same Victorian buildings in Elland, set around a cobbled courtyard where the grooves worn by horse-drawn delivery carts are still visible in the flagstones. The Mega Lollies — now made in more than 50 flavours — follow the same traditional boiled-sweet process as the jarred lines, and the business remains owned and managed by direct descendants of Joseph Dobson.
What we stock
We've brought in the Dobson's range in full: Mega Lollies across the classic flavours, Kop Kops and other traditional boiled sweets, and jarred mixes including Yorkshire Mixture. Browse the full Dobson's collection, or see how it sits alongside Kingsway and the rest of our pick 'n' mix range.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes Dobson's sweets?
Joseph Dobson & Sons Ltd — family-owned since 1850, still run by the founder's descendants from the original factory in Elland, West Yorkshire.
What are Dobson's Mega Lollies?
Dobson's signature boiled-sweet lollipops, made by traditional methods in more than 50 flavours.
Does Supreme Sweets stock the full Dobson's range?
Yes — over 80 Dobson's lines, with most orders dispatched within 1-2 business days.