Heineken expects its sales volumes to fall this year after beer sales slid in the third quarter.
The Amstel and Sol brewer today (22 October) predicted its volumes would “decline modestly” in 2025 following a “challenging” three months to the end of September.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Third-quarter revenue dropped 4% to €8.71bn ($10.12bn) and dipped 0.1% on an organic basis.
The company’s volumes fell 3.8% during the quarter as beer volumes declined more than 4% amid lower sales in Europe and North America.
Heineken said its “net revenue per hectolitre” increased 3.6% as it upped prices and sold more “premium” products.
The Dutch giant said it expects its organic operating profit to land “towards the lower end” of its target of 4-8% growth.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalData“Macroeconomic volatility persisted as anticipated and became more pronounced in the third quarter, creating a challenging environment, resulting in a mixed performance,” Heineken chairman and CEO Dolf van den Brink said.
“Our portfolio continues to evolve positively, with market share gains in a substantial majority of our markets, and Heineken and premium volume growing year-to-date. Furthermore, we are future-proofing the business by accelerating digital investments and reshaping our organisation.”
Bernstein analyst Trevor Stirling said the third-quarter results were “broadly in-line with [analyst] consensus on volume and slightly ahead on net sales”.
He added: “The [volume] decline was driven by a very weak Americas region – especially Brazil and the USA – and by a slower-than-expected recovery in Europe post conclusion of retail negotiations.”
Last week, Heineken announced plans to restructure its global headquarters in Amsterdam, a move expected to impact around 400 jobs.
At the time, van den Brink said: “The world around us is changing fast. Geopolitical and economic pressures are real, but so are the opportunities created by technology and evolving consumer trends.
“To stay ahead, we must accelerate our digital transformation and sharpen our focus on winning in the market.”
It also emerged last week that Heineken is to shut one of its breweries in Poland.
The company, pointing to declining beer sales in the country, said the Namysłów Brewery, situated near Wrocław in south-western Poland, will cease production by early next year.
Shares in Heineken NV closed the day up 1.05% at €70.90.
