By Ebi Kesiena
Dutch brewing giant Heineken has announced plans to cut between 5,000 and 6,000 jobs over the next two years as it contends with declining beer volumes and what it described as “challenging market conditions.”
The world’s second-largest brewer after AB InBev said it would accelerate productivity measures at scale to generate significant cost savings, with workforce reductions forming a key part of the strategy.
“We remain prudent in our near-term expectations for beer market conditions,” Chief Executive Officer Dolf van den Brink said in a statement, signalling continued pressure on global demand.
Investors reacted positively to the announcement, with Heineken shares rising about three percent at the opening of trading on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange.
The restructuring plan comes weeks after van den Brink surprised markets by announcing he would step down after nearly six years at the helm. Reflecting on his tenure, he said he was leaving with “mixed emotions,” having steered the company through what he described as turbulent economic and political periods.
“My priority for the coming months is to leave Heineken in the strongest possible position,” he told reporters.
Heineken currently employs around 87,000 people worldwide. In October, the brewer had already disclosed plans to cut or reassign 400 roles as part of a reorganisation of its Amsterdam headquarters, aimed at leveraging new technologies and streamlining operations.
While executives declined to provide a detailed regional breakdown of the latest job cuts, Chief Financial Officer Harold van den Broek indicated that Europe would likely bear a significant share.
“Europe is a big part of our business, we are focusing many of the initiatives to strengthen our European business, but not exclusively so.” he said, noting that recent financial results reveals how difficult it has become to generate strong operating leverage in the region.
Heineken’s annual results showed global beer volumes fell by 2.4 percent in 2025. The downturn was more pronounced in Europe and the Americas, where volumes declined by 4.1 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively. In the fourth quarter alone, global beer volumes dropped 2.8 percent.
Total annual revenue came in at 34.4 billion euros (approximately $41 billion), down from 36.0 billion euros recorded in 2024. However, net profit rose to 2.7 billion euros, representing a 4.9 percent increase on a comparable basis after adjusting for currency fluctuations.
Looking ahead, the company projected organic operating profit growth of between two and six percent for the 2026 financial year, following a 4.4 percent rise last year to 4.4 billion euros.
