London, Feb 11, 2026, 22:28 GMT
- Heineken is looking to eliminate between 5,000 and 6,000 jobs across the next two years.
- The brewer is aiming for annual gross savings between €400 million and €500 million with its EverGreen 2030 plan.
- Heineken is projecting its operating profit will climb between 2% and 6% by 2026.
Heineken plans to eliminate between 5,000 and 6,000 jobs worldwide over the next two years, ramping up a productivity push targeting €400 million to €500 million in annual gross savings. The Dutch brewer is projecting operating profit growth of 2% to 6% in 2026, following a 4.4% gain in 2025 when stripping out one-offs and acquisition-related amortisation. Last year, overall volume dropped 1.2%. 1
Timing is key here. With demand tapering off, brewers are doubling down on cost-cutting programs — particularly in mature markets, where years of inflation and multiple price hikes have left shoppers more sensitive to prices.
Heineken’s job cuts hit amid a top-level shakeup and investors pushing for quicker, more efficient growth. Finance chief Harold van den Broek said the brewer is slashing roles to “strengthen our operations” and keep cash ready for investment—moves echoing cost-trimming at Carlsberg too. The CEO search continues after Dolf van den Brink said in January he’d exit in May. Shares gained roughly 3.5% earlier Wednesday. 2
There’s more to the job cuts than trimming headcount. The shakeup hits the group’s structure: which teams handle finance, their location, and just how many management layers separate a brewery on the ground from the top brass at headquarters.
Van den Broek says the programme “touches all levels in the organisation”, with artificial intelligence set to boost shared services, streamlining finance and HR from their central hubs. Speaking to analysts, he outlined plans to fold smaller markets into regional clusters and tighten central control as the brewer pushes ahead with its EverGreen 2030 strategy. 3
The bigger worry: markets might not find their footing. Health warnings keep piling up, no- and low-alcohol options are taking share, and weight-loss drugs are starting to change both habits and volumes among certain drinkers.
But the cost plan comes with a catch. In Europe, layoffs are often tangled in red tape and take longer to execute, while restructuring costs don’t pay off overnight. Should volumes slip more, Heineken could end up juggling brand investment and cuts at the same time.
Heineken isn’t disclosing where its planned job cuts will land, sticking with a global number for now. “We can only share this as a global figure and cannot comment on potential local implications,” a company spokesperson told the Irish Examiner. The brewer, which has over 350 staff in Ireland and bases its main operation in Cork at the old Murphy’s Brewery, declined to break down regional impacts. Bernstein’s Trevor Stirling called the guidance prudent, considering the scale of cost-cutting underway. 4
Heineken said local processes will determine when cuts hit each market. Investors are now waiting for specifics on which roles are on the line, and who’s set to lead at the top — details that could mark the next test of their patience.
