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Who's Brownies? That's What Everyone's Asking

Monday July 24th, 2006 - It has been a recipe made for success: take one commercial printer, who also is a closet chef, and add one accountant with a love for baking. Mix that together with chocolate, and and you get Who's Brownies - a new player in the internet gift-giving game.

Mark Sferas has more than 30 years of experience in the commercial printing industry. In 1974 he moved to Los Angeles from Chicago where he owned a diner, cooking up burgers, pancakes and the daily dinner special. “I needed a creative outlet when it came to food, and feeding everyone was the best way to do that in the beginning,” said Sferas.
 

Classes in baking, pasta, pastry and, finally, a professional culinary school followed. He spent his free time outside the print shop with catering events, working with such notable chefs as Wolfgang Puck.

In February 2000, Sferas company, (Master Graphic Printing Company), advertised for an accountant, and met applicant Kelly Hartleip. Hartleip loved baking and came from a family that had roots in the baking business, too. Unsure how to make a living at it, she went into accounting. As a busy professional, and a mom, her days in the kitchen seemed to fade away.

While working with Sferas, Hartleip discovered that they shared the same passion for cooking. In 2000,they baked brownies for company clients during the holidays. Sferas’s "secret" brownie recipe was a hit that grew into an eagerly awaited tradition. “Every year Mark got excited in early October and he would come up with new ideas to outdo himself from the previous year," said Hartleip. "We had so much fun with it, it was easy to forget what our real jobs were."

After four years of baking for clients, Sferas and Hartleip decided to turn their love of chocolate and baking into a business. “Between health department codes, city codes and the whims of contractors, we became knowledgeable about things we never even wanted to know,” said Hartleip. In January 2006, Who’s Brownies Inc. got the OK to start baking and the company has been in full swing ever since.

The company's Website, www.whosbrownies.com and brochures boast 13 flavors of brownies. Who's Brownies uses fresh ingredients and Scharffen Bergerfine chocolate. “Their chocolate has such a deep and rich taste that you really start to understand the seductive nature of it," said Sferas. "We get such a full-bodied flavor from our chocolate, that we don’t have to add extra sugar or additives to enhance it. The brownie speaks for itself.”

Who’s Brownies offers a standard variety box of a bakers dozen and customers get to choose any flavor combination they want. Customers can also order specialty gift baskets for any occasion. The gourmet brownie line is individualized and made to order, with such creations as turtle candy brownies, S'moresbrownies, or German Chocolate brownies. Who’s Brownies also features bite-size brownie gift platters,brownies by the sheet pan, specially shaped brownies for the holidays, a wedding brownie cake, and so much more. “If you can dream it, we can make it,” said Sferas. "We have even made a peanut butter and jelly brownies for a child’s birthday party."

Who’s Brownies offers next-day local delivery to most of the Los Angeles area and all over the country with insulated packed boxes.

For more information or to try something from Who's Brownies, call 818-343-1685 or 866-946-7246.07/
 

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