Heineken is set to cut 6,000 jobs globally over the next two years as it battles the Dutch brewer – around 7% of its workforce Declining demand for beer.
The company, which makes Heineken, Amstel and Tiger, said the cuts would come from brewing and white-collar roles in its 87,000-strong global workforce as it faces “challenging market conditions”.
As the world’s second-largest brewer by market value, it has cut forecasts for profit growth in 2026.
“We really do this to strengthen our operations and invest in growth,” the brewer’s head of finance, Harald van den Broek, told reporters after the company released its annual results.
He said there will be some job losses and some cuts in Europe as well as other markets Previously announced measures Affects Heineken’s supply network, headquarters and regional business units.
The job cuts come a month after chief executive Dolph van den Brink abruptly resigned in January after six years in the top job. Van den Brink, who will step down in May, is under pressure to boost Heineken’s growth and productivity with fewer resources, as investors accuse the company of underperforming.
Heineken said the job cuts were aimed at “accelerating productivity at scale to unlock significant savings”.
The company expects slower profit growth of between 2% and 6% this year, compared to an expected 4-8% growth in 2025.
It comes as Heineken reported a 1.2% drop in total beer volumes last year compared to 2024, at a time when the company and its rivals are struggling with declining beer sales. Europe and North America.
Stressed household finances played a role, but some consumers drank less alcohol because of health problems and others cut back after changing their diet and lifestyle. Taking weight loss medications Like Mounjaro and Wegovi.
Heineken shares rose as much as 4% in Amsterdam, hitting their highest level in more than six months.
“Heineken’s investors welcomed the job cut guidance, boosting the share price on news that more costs are coming from the business,” said Russ Mould, investment director at broker AJ Bell.
“Heineken’s new CEO will already be heading into the top job with a number of difficult decisions to make. There is no news on who will replace Dolph van den Brink when he leaves in May, but the pressure is on to find a new leader fast and someone who can breathe new life into the beer giant.”
