LONDON, Feb 11 (Reuters) – Heineken said on Wednesday it will cut up to 6,000 jobs from its global workforce and set lower expectations for profit growth in 2026 than the previous year, as the Dutch brewer and its competitors face weak demand.
The staff cuts represent nearly 7% of the 87,000 global workforce at the world’s second-largest brewer by market value, which is searching for a new chief executive following the surprise resignation of Dolf van den Brink in January.
The maker of Tiger and Amstel beers, as well as the lager that bears its name, has promised to deliver greater growth with fewer resources, in an attempt to calm dissatisfied investors who say it has fallen behind in terms of efficiency.
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At the same time, industry-wide sales are falling due to consumers’ financial difficulties and recent adverse weather conditions.
Rival Carlsberg announced it would cut jobs, while other beer and spirits makers are also cutting costs, selling assets and scaling back production after years of sluggish sales.
Heineken shares rose 4%, having risen around 7% since the end of 2025.
BOOST TO PRODUCTIVITY
Heineken said its productivity initiative will generate savings and reduce its global headcount by 5,000 to 6,000 positions over the next two years.
“We are doing this to strengthen our operations and to be able to invest in growth,” Chief Financial Officer Harold van den Broek said in a conference call with the media to announce the company’s annual results.
Some of the cuts would focus on Europe or non-priority markets with fewer growth prospects, he said, and some would also result from previously announced initiatives aimed at Heineken’s supply network, headquarters and regional business units.
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Heineken expects slower profit growth for 2026, between 2% and 6%, versus the 4% to 8% growth forecast for 2025. Carlsberg also forecast 2026 profit growth in the same range last week.
Heineken also reported a better-than-forecast annual organic operating profit, which grew 4.4% in 2025, versus analysts’ expectations of 4%.
(Reporting by Emma Rumney)
