Everton Football Club's nickname didn't come from a marketing department — it came from a Victorian sweet shop, and the club still has someone throwing boiled sweets into the crowd because of it.
What an Everton Mint actually is
An Everton Mint is a hard, boiled mint humbug with a distinctive black-and-white striped shell — closer in texture to a traditional humbug than to a soft mint, and firmly in the same tradition as the rest of our retro sweets. It's a regional sweet in the truest sense: named after, and originally made in, the Everton district of Liverpool.
Where the name comes from
- The shop — Molly Bushell, known locally as "Mother Noblett," ran a sweet shop near Everton village from the 1860s, selling toffees and mints that became known simply by the area's name.
- The location — Everton sits on a hill above Liverpool city centre, and its sweet-making trade was well established locally decades before the football club took its name from the same district.
- The product — Mother Noblett's mints are the direct ancestor of the Everton Mint sold today, still recognisable by the same black-and-white stripes.
From sweet shop to football nickname
Everton Football Club, founded in 1878, is nicknamed "The Toffees" directly because of the district's toffee and mint-making history rather than any connection to the sport itself. The club still keeps the tradition visible on match days through the "Toffee Lady," who throws boiled sweets to supporters before kick-off at Goodison Park — a direct, still-running link between a 19th-century sweet shop and a modern football club's identity.
Frequently asked questions
What is an Everton Mint?
An Everton Mint is a hard, black-and-white striped boiled mint humbug, traditionally sold in Liverpool and closely associated with the Everton district of the city.
How did Everton Mints get their name?
The mints take their name from Everton, the Liverpool district where they were originally sold, most famously by Molly Bushell (known locally as "Mother Noblett") from a shop near Everton village from the 1860s.
Why is Everton Football Club nicknamed "The Toffees"?
Everton Football Club's "Toffees" nickname comes directly from the local toffee and mint-making tradition in the Everton area, including Mother Noblett's shop — the club still marks it today with a "Toffee Lady" who throws boiled sweets to fans before home matches.