Heineken plans to cut up to 6,000 roles over the next two years as the beer giant seeks annual savings of as much as €500m ($596.1m).
CEO Dolf van den Brink, who announced last month he would step down in May, revealed the 5,000-6,000 job losses today (11 February), alongside annual results showing declines in group revenue and volumes.
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Productivity goals and a transition to so-called multi-market operating companies (MMOs) – four of which are due to come on board in Europe in the next six months – were cited among the reasons for the staff reductions, as Heineken implements a “simpler” and “leaner” operating model.
The Amstel and Sol beer brand owner will also target “select brewery closures” under the productivity drive, which will also feature digitising plants and supply chain optimisation.
Heineken plans to exit some operations, too, “where there is no clear path to sustainable growth”, the company said in the results statement.
And as it aims to scale-up Heineken business services (HBS), a further 3,000 roles will be switched to that division.
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By GlobalDataThe goal for HBS, Heineken explained, is to create “global capability centres leveraging new technologies, accelerating supply chain network optimisation, and the greater centralisation of procurement services”.
Timings for the job cuts will differ by markets depending on “local circumstances” as the Tiger and Desperados beer maker seeks €400-500m in annual costs savings – outlined at the capital markets day in October – to invest in brands and support growth in operating profit.
Those targeted savings form part of the five-year EverGreen 2030 strategy unveiled in October, when Heineken said it would also eliminate around 400 jobs at its headquarters in Amsterdam under a restructuring programme.
In his accompanying comments today, van den Brink said: “Now we pivot to the disciplined execution of EverGreen 2030.
“Our first priority is to accelerate growth, funded by stepped up productivity and operating model changes that will involve a significant cost intervention over the next two years. This will unlock stronger people productivity and enable greater speed and efficiency. At the same time, we remain prudent in our near-term expectations for beer market conditions.”
Heineken’s beer volumes remain under pressure, however. The company saw volumes decline 1.2% in 2025 in terms of millions of hectolitres (mhl).
The largest decrease was registered in Europe (-3.4%) followed by the Americas (-2.8%).
There was a slight drop of 0.3% in Africa and the Middle East, while APAC bucked the trend with a 4.4% increase in volumes.
“Beer category dynamics varied meaningfully across our markets in 2025. In many of our key value and advancing markets, such as Vietnam, Ethiopia and South Africa, the category expanded, driven by rising penetration, growing consumption and continued premiumisation,” the statement read.
“In Europe, the category declined due to a mix of cyclical factors, notably consumer price sensitivity and the temporary impact from customer negotiations,” Heineken added.
Despite the job cuts and declines across a range of IFRS metrics, Heineken’s shares were up 2.7% at €76.60 as of 11:36am CET.
Revenue for the year fell 4.7% to €34.26bn, with net revenue down 3.6% at €28.75bn.
Operating profit decreased 3.2% to €3.41bn but net profit was up 92.7% at €1.89bn.
In adjusted BEIA terms – before exceptional items and amortisation of acquisition-related intangible assets – it was a different story.
Revenue edged 0.2% with a 1.6% increase in net revenue. Operating profit climbed 4.4% and net income rose 4.9%.
Van den Brink said: “In 2025, we delivered a resilient and well-balanced performance. We gained share, drove cost and cash productivity, and increased investment behind our brands.
“Combined with agility and our advantaged footprint, this helped us navigate volatility and deliver within our guidance range. We reinforced our footprint through the acquisition of FIFCO in Central America, our largest acquisition in more than a decade, positioning us even more strongly for growth in the future.”
