Kiwi manager’s humorous paternity leave post goes viral

The manager of a Kiwi grocery store in Hamar has gone viral with a Facebook post announcing his paternity leave in the form of a satirical “trainee program,” the Norwegian news site Dagbladet reports.

Luc Tito, who runs Kiwi Ingeberg, wrote the post himself, listing challenges such as “diaper changes under time pressure,” “conflict resolution with a person without language,” “night shifts without extra pay,” and “handling pacifiers at 4:12 a.m.” The post has been seen by 225,000 people.

Tito said the main purpose was to inform customers he would be away for a period, as they had missed him during previous absences. “Ingeberg is a relatively small place, even though we are part of Hamar municipality,” he told Dagbladet.

The post was written in the voice of employees, who joke that sending the boss on this program means they will no longer have to hear “Has anyone seen my coffee cup?” or listen to 14-minute stories that could be told in 12 seconds. Ingrid will take over as store manager during his leave.

Tito, a former kindergarten teacher, said he enjoys being a father and plans to take his daughter on fishing trips. Despite being on leave, he admitted he still stops by the office because he cares about the staff he hired when the store opened in 2024.

Hamar Arbeiderblad first reported on the post.