Heineken to cut up to 6,000 jobs amid slowing beer demand

By The Inspirer.

Heineken, the world’s second-largest brewer by market value, announced on Wednesday that it plans to cut up to 6,000 jobs from its global workforce, representing nearly 7% of its 87,000 employees.

The company also lowered its profit growth guidance for 2026, citing weakening demand and challenging market conditions.

The job reductions are part of a broader productivity drive aimed at improving efficiency and freeing resources to invest in growth. Some of the cuts will target European operations and non-priority markets, while others will result from previously announced initiatives affecting the company’s supply network, head office, and regional units.

Finance chief Harold van den Broek said, “We really do this to strengthen our operations and to be able to invest in growth.”

The move comes as Heineken searches for a new CEO following the surprise resignation of Dolf van den Brink in January, who is scheduled to step down in May.

The brewer’s rivals are also adjusting to market pressures. Carlsberg and other beer and spirits producers have recently announced job cuts, asset sales, and slowed production in response to weak sales, rising health concerns, and increased competition from alternative beverages.

Heineken expects 2026 profit growth to slow to between 2% and 6%, compared with 4% to 8% in 2025. Despite these adjustments, the company reported a 4.4% increase in annual organic operating profit in 2025, slightly above analyst expectations.

Shares in Heineken rose 3.5% following the announcement, building on a 7% gain since the end of 2025, as investors welcomed the company’s efficiency efforts and conservative guidance amid leadership uncertainty.

Analyst Javier Gonzalez Lastra of Berenberg praised Heineken’s approach, noting that the company remains committed to its strategy despite the CEO transition.