Brewing giant Heineken has reported continued success for Murphy’s Stout in the UK and Europe but weaker overall global demand for beer will see the company cut 6,000 jobs from its workforce.
Heineken said it could not comment on where jobs would be lost. The company employs over 350 people in Ireland, with its chief operations hub at the former Murphy’s Brewery site in Cork city.
The cuts amount to almost 7% of the 87,000-strong, global workforce at the world’s No.2 brewer by market value, which is searching for a new CEO following the surprise resignation of Dolf van den Brink in January.
“We have announced that Heineken is accelerating productivity at scale to unlock significant savings, reducing 5,000 to 6,000 roles over the next two years. At this stage, we can only share this as a global figure and cannot comment on potential local implications,” a Heineken spokesperson told the Irish Examiner.
Murphy’s increased its market share in Ireland after a strong performance saw “mid-single digit” volume growth, the company’s 2025 results show. In Ireland, the company, which also brews Beamish, said Birra Moretti delivered strong growth in 2025, while across Europe there was solid growth in Murphy’s Stout. Sales of Murphy’s have been particularly strong in the UK, with year-on-year value sales growth of 666% and a volume increase of 607%. Murphy’s has rapidly expanded its presence in pubs in Britain, with more than 1,550 pubs now serving the stout on draught – a rise of 480%.
“Distribution gains and expanded draught placement in the on-trade supported robust growth for Murphy’s Stout,” the company reported.
The brewer has promised to deliver higher growth with fewer resources as it looks to assuage dissatisfied investors who say it has fallen behind on efficiency.
At the same time, global sales across the sector are faltering amid strained consumer finances and more recent bad weather.
Rival Carlsberg has said it would cut jobs, while other beer and spirit makers are also cutting costs, selling assets and slowing production after years of slow sales.
Heineken said its productivity drive will unlock savings and reduce its global head count by 5,000 to 6,000 positions over the next two years. “We really do this to strengthen our operations and to be able to invest in growth,” finance chief Harold van den Broek said while announcing the company’s annual results.
Some of the cuts would be focused on Europe or non-priority markets offering fewer growth prospects, he said, and some would also result from previously announced initiatives targeting Heineken’s supply network, head office, and regional business units.
Along with weak global demand, alcohol makers also face long-term threats like rising health warnings, competition from alternatives, and disruptions like weight-loss drugs.
Heineken expects slower profit growth for 2026 of between 2% and 6%, against the 4% to 8% growth it guided for in 2025. Carlsberg also predicted 2026 profit growth in the same range last week.
Heineken also reported forecast-beating annual organic operating profit, which grew 4.4% in 2025 versus analyst expectations for 4%.
Analysts said Heineken had also beaten forecasts on other measures like revenues, and welcomed the conservative approach the company has taken on guidance in a difficult environment. “The guidance looks prudent, given the massive cost-cuts that are underway,” said Trevor Stirling, analyst at Bernstein, adding analysts on average currently predict 4.8% growth next year.
Outgoing-CEO Mr van den Brink, who steps down in May, said there was no update on the brewer’s search for a successor.
Additional reporting by Reuters
