Dutch multinational Heineken is axing between 5,000 and 6,000 jobs worldwide over the next two years in a major restructuring aimed at cutting costs and boosting productivity.
The company presently employs 3,700 people in the Netherlands, and while it’s unclear exactly how many Dutch jobs will be affected, the Amsterdam headquarters has already been hit by cuts.
According to the NOS, the announcement came this morning as Heineken presented its annual results for 2025, revealing that revenue dropped 4.7% to around €34.2 billion.
Currently employing over 87,000 people globally, the brewer is now moving to significantly streamline its operations.
Amsterdam is already feeling the pain
This latest round of redundancies follows an already-announced restructuring at the company’s Amsterdam headquarters, where 400 jobs were cut in October.
According to NOS, some of those roles were relocated abroad while others simply disappeared.
The redundancies also follow a broader trend of major Dutch companies downsizing. Chip manufacturer ASML recently announced it would cut 1,700 jobs despite posting record profits.
More AI and fewer breweries
Of course, AI plays a role here too. When Heineken announced its restructuring plans in October, NOS reported that the company would digitise supply chain processes at breweries and increase its use of artificial intelligence in marketing departments.
The brewer is also shutting down divisions where growth has stalled and closing several breweries; however, Heineken hasn’t yet revealed which locations will get the axe.
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According to NOS, these measures are expected to save the company between €400 million and €500 million annually.
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