The company said it will accelerate productivity measures to generate “significant savings,” reducing between 5,000 and 6,000 roles. The move comes as Heineken braces for ongoing market pressure and cautious near-term expectations.
“We remain prudent in our near-term expectations for beer market conditions,” chief executive Dolf van den Brink said in a statement.
Investors appeared to respond positively to the announcement, with Heineken shares rising about three percent at the opening of trading on the Amsterdam stock exchange.
The job cuts follow a period of leadership uncertainty. Van den Brink shocked the company last month when he revealed he would step down after nearly six years as CEO. He described his departure as one filled with “mixed emotions,” saying he had steered Heineken through “turbulent economic and political times.”
“My priority for the coming months is to leave Heineken in the strongest possible position,” he told reporters.
Heineken currently employs roughly 87,000 people worldwide. In October, the company had already announced a separate reduction of 400 roles as part of a reorganisation of its Amsterdam head office, intended to leverage new technologies.
Where the Cuts Might Hit
Executives did not specify exactly where the majority of the job reductions would occur, but Chief Financial Officer Harold van den Broek suggested that Europe could bear a significant portion.
“Europe is a big part of our business,” he said, noting that the region has struggled to generate strong operating leverage. “So we are focusing many of the initiatives to strengthen our European business, but not exclusively so.”
Beer Volumes Decline
Heineken, the world’s second-largest brewer after AB InBev, reported a 2.4 percent global drop in beer volumes in 2025. The decline was particularly sharp in Europe and the Americas, where volumes fell 4.1 percent and 3.5 percent respectively. In the fourth quarter alone, global beer volumes slipped 2.8 percent.
Total annual sales fell to €34.4 billion ($41 billion), down from €36.0 billion in 2024. Despite the drop in sales, net profits rose to €2.7 billion, marking a 4.9 percent increase when adjusted for currency fluctuations.
Looking ahead to 2026, Heineken forecast full-year organic operating profit growth of between 2 and 6 percent, following a 4.4 percent rise last year to €4.4 billion.