Heineken to slash up to 6,000 jobs in AI 'productivity savings' amid slump in beer sales

Core Insights - Heineken plans to cut between 5,000 and 6,000 roles over the next two years to enhance efficiency and productivity, targeting operating profit growth of 2% to 6% for the current year [1][2] - The company reported a 2.4% decline in total beer volumes for 2025, while adjusted operating profit increased by 4.4% [2] - The outlook for 2026 is below the usual range but aligns with market expectations and is consistent with peer Carlsberg [3] Workforce and Strategy - The job reductions represent about 7% of the workforce and are part of a broader strategy to achieve annual savings of €400 to €500 million (approximately $476 million to $600 million) [2][4] - The cuts are influenced by advancements in AI and digitization, which are integral to the EverGreen 2030 strategy, with around 3,000 roles transitioning to business services [4] - The EverGreen 2030 strategy emphasizes three core areas: accelerating growth, increasing productivity, and ensuring future readiness [5] Leadership Transition - Outgoing CEO Dolf van den Brink will step down in May after six years, and the company is currently in search of a successor [5]