This article was updated July 30, 2026
You’ve heard of the Blues Brothers, the Allman Brothers and maybe even the Chemical Brothers.
Meet Benjamin and Joshua Lavin — Edmonton’s Brownie Brothers.
The pair launched Wow Brownies in 2024. Since then they’ve sold 80,000 brownies, developed over 30 flavours and sell their products at 12 different farmers’ markets in the Edmonton area. The long-term goal is to have a brick-and-mortar shop, but right now they’re focusing on retail partners — including Bagel Bar, NAIT, MacEwan University and the Side Door at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market.
The two came to Canada with their family when they were kids — the Lavins spent their early years near Manchester, England. For eight years before starting the business, Benjamin was an entrepreneur, while Joshua is a Red Seal and NAIT-trained chef with a decade of experience in the culinary industry.
Joshua has always liked baking and many times made treats for co-workers and friends. And Benjamin had often wanted to go into business with his brother.
“I’d always wanted to do my own thing,” says Joshua.
They identified brownies was where there was a dessert market gap so Joshua spent weeks of trial-and-error time in the kitchen perfecting the recipe.
“I was baking and testing every day,” says Joshua. “I would make a tray, and watch it fail. I’d make a tray, and watch it fail. I’d make a tray, and watch it fail.”
And then, it didn’t fail, and Wow Brownies made their debut.
“I’m a perfectionist,” says Joshua. “When I get an idea in my head of what I want a flavour to be, it has to be exactly that.”
The first flavour — chocolate orange — was inspired by the Terry’s treats that the Lavins grew up eating. Now the crowd favourites are the Key-lime Pie Blondie, London Fog Blondie and Salted Caramel Brownie. They’ve also recently started making Brownie Biscotti, and people have been travelling across the city to markets just to find it. “If you ever see a box at a market, it’s well worth picking up before it’s gone,” says Joshua. It’s only available in-person at the markets, but there are still plenty of other options online. Currently, all the brownies and blondies are nut free, to accomodate customers with nut allergies
It’s also been a deliberate business decision to keep prices the same as when they launched two years ago despite global market uncertainty and the price of ingredients rising.
In the past, you may have seen the brownies on shelves at Meuwly’s and Culina to Go. The Lavins credit proprietor Brad Lazarenko for being so willing to help other culinary newbies and for allowing them to use the kitchen at Culina to Go.
Currently, the brothers are working out of the Bagel Bar kitchen, and Joshua has collaborated with Bagel Bar on products like the Bagel Bar Breakfast Sandwich.
“It’s amazing that so many people in this community want to see a local start-up succeed,” says Ben.
Wow Brownies
wowbrownies.ca
