Heineken plans to lay off up to 7% of its workforce to boost efficiency with AI after weak beer sales in 2025. They reported earnings with a 2.4% decline in beer volumes but a 4.4% increase in operating profit. The company aims to cut 5,000 to 6,000 jobs and targets 2% to 6% operating profit growth. Outgoing CEO Dolf van den Brink attributed the results to challenging market conditions but emphasized a balanced performance overall.

Heineken’s 2026 outlook falls below the usual range but aligns with expectations and peers like Carlsberg. The company’s EverGreen 2030 strategy focuses on growth, productivity, and future-fit. Van den Brink mentioned that the job cuts are part of a commitment to annual savings of 400 to 500 million euros. The brewer plans to invest in growth and premium brands with the reductions and acknowledges AI and digitization as key components of their strategy.

Heineken is headquartered in the Netherlands, operates in over 70 countries, and employs 87,000 people. Van den Brink will step down in May after leading the company for six years. More than 50,000 layoffs in 2025 were attributed to AI, affecting companies like Amazon, Salesforce, Lufthansa, and Accenture. IMF’s Kristalina Georgieva warns that AI is disrupting the labor market significantly, catching many unprepared.

Read more at CNBC: Heineken to slash up to 6,000 jobs in AI ‘productivity savings’