diff --git a/asv_bench/benchmarks/reduce.py b/asv_bench/benchmarks/reduce.py
index 3f4a9d02f..b53a007da 100644
--- a/asv_bench/benchmarks/reduce.py
+++ b/asv_bench/benchmarks/reduce.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 from . import parameterized
 
 N = 1000
-funcs = ["sum", "nansum", "mean", "nanmean", "max"]
+funcs = ["sum", "nansum", "mean", "nanmean", "max", "var", "nanvar"]
 engines = ["flox", "numpy"]
 
 
diff --git a/ci/docs.yml b/ci/docs.yml
index 9cdfb38e5..be9129c09 100644
--- a/ci/docs.yml
+++ b/ci/docs.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ dependencies:
   - xarray
   - numpy>=1.20
   - numpydoc
-  - numpy_groupies
+  - numpy_groupies>=0.9.19
   - toolz
   - matplotlib-base
   - myst-parser
diff --git a/ci/environment.yml b/ci/environment.yml
index d83bd3b9c..ec7eada65 100644
--- a/ci/environment.yml
+++ b/ci/environment.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ dependencies:
   - pytest-xdist
   - xarray
   - pre-commit
-  - numpy_groupies>=0.9.15
+  - numpy_groupies>=0.9.19
   - pooch
   - toolz
   - numba
diff --git a/ci/minimal-requirements.yml b/ci/minimal-requirements.yml
index 882c8d1fb..f23032f7f 100644
--- a/ci/minimal-requirements.yml
+++ b/ci/minimal-requirements.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ dependencies:
   - pytest-cov
   - pytest-xdist
   - numpy==1.20
-  - numpy_groupies==0.9.15
+  - numpy_groupies==0.9.19
   - pandas
   - pooch
   - toolz
diff --git a/ci/no-dask.yml b/ci/no-dask.yml
index 31ce0ade3..817be4627 100644
--- a/ci/no-dask.yml
+++ b/ci/no-dask.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ dependencies:
   - xarray
   - numpydoc
   - pre-commit
-  - numpy_groupies>=0.9.15
+  - numpy_groupies>=0.9.19
   - pooch
   - toolz
   - numba
diff --git a/ci/no-xarray.yml b/ci/no-xarray.yml
index 25c777fa1..9f81704ee 100644
--- a/ci/no-xarray.yml
+++ b/ci/no-xarray.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ dependencies:
   - dask-core
   - numpydoc
   - pre-commit
-  - numpy_groupies>=0.9.15
+  - numpy_groupies>=0.9.19
   - pooch
   - toolz
   - numba
diff --git a/flox/aggregate_npg.py b/flox/aggregate_npg.py
index 8015f67b5..6bad6797f 100644
--- a/flox/aggregate_npg.py
+++ b/flox/aggregate_npg.py
@@ -9,14 +9,43 @@ def _get_aggregate(engine):
 
 
 def sum_of_squares(
-    group_idx, array, engine, *, axis=-1, func="sum", size=None, fill_value=None, dtype=None
+    group_idx,
+    array,
+    engine,
+    *,
+    axis=-1,
+    size=None,
+    fill_value=None,
+    dtype=None,
 ):
 
     return _get_aggregate(engine).aggregate(
         group_idx,
-        array**2,
+        array,
         axis=axis,
-        func=func,
+        func="sumofsquares",
+        size=size,
+        fill_value=fill_value,
+        dtype=dtype,
+    )
+
+
+def nansum_of_squares(
+    group_idx,
+    array,
+    engine,
+    *,
+    axis=-1,
+    size=None,
+    fill_value=None,
+    dtype=None,
+):
+
+    return _get_aggregate(engine).aggregate(
+        group_idx,
+        array,
+        axis=axis,
+        func="nansumofsquares",
         size=size,
         fill_value=fill_value,
         dtype=dtype,
@@ -55,19 +84,6 @@ def nanprod(group_idx, array, engine, *, axis=-1, size=None, fill_value=None, dt
     )
 
 
-def nansum_of_squares(group_idx, array, engine, *, axis=-1, size=None, fill_value=None, dtype=None):
-    return sum_of_squares(
-        group_idx,
-        array,
-        engine=engine,
-        func="nansum",
-        size=size,
-        fill_value=fill_value,
-        axis=axis,
-        dtype=dtype,
-    )
-
-
 def _len(group_idx, array, engine, *, func, axis=-1, size=None, fill_value=None, dtype=None):
     result = _get_aggregate(engine).aggregate(
         group_idx,
diff --git a/flox/aggregations.py b/flox/aggregations.py
index 0cf6b259b..d7db7e0fd 100644
--- a/flox/aggregations.py
+++ b/flox/aggregations.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def generic_aggregate(
             method_ = getattr(aggregate_npg, func)
             method = partial(method_, engine=engine)
         except AttributeError:
-            aggregate = npg.aggregate_np if engine == "numpy" else npg.aggregate_nb
+            aggregate = aggregate_npg._get_aggregate(engine).aggregate
             method = partial(aggregate, func=func)
     else:
         raise ValueError(
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 3645e5bc7..9dfeb4cc6 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ python_requires = >=3.8
 install_requires =
     pandas
     numpy >= '1.20'
-    numpy_groupies >= '0.9.15'
+    numpy_groupies >= '0.9.19'
     toolz
 
 [options.extras_require]