Heineken to Cut Up to 6,000 Jobs Globally
Heineken has announced plans to cut up to 6,000 jobs, which represents about 7% of its global workforce. The move is part of a broader restructuring and cost-cutting initiative by the beverage giant. This signals significant operational adjustments within major global consumer brands.
- The restructuring is part of a wider, multi-year strategy named "EverGreen 2030," which aims to achieve between €400 and €500 million in annual cost savings. - This move follows a previous major workforce reduction in February 2021, when the company announced plans to cut approximately 8,000 jobs as part of a €2 billion savings program. - The announcement coincided with the release of the company's 2025 annual results, which reported a 1.2% decline in global sales volumes, with more significant drops in Europe and the Americas. - These operational changes occur during a leadership transition, as CEO Dolf van den Brink announced in January 2026 that he would step down in May after nearly six years in the role. - CFO Harold van den Broek stated the cuts are intended to strengthen operations so the company can invest in growth, focusing on non-priority markets and regions with fewer growth prospects. - In addition to workforce reduction, the company's strategy includes streamlining its supply chain via "brewery digitization," potential plant closures, and exiting underperforming markets. - While cutting jobs, Heineken is also investing more than €1 billion in a 'Digital Backbone' program to standardize and streamline operations across more than 70 markets.
