The world’s second-largest brewer, Heineken, has revealed that they are cutting 8,000 jobs in total as part of their £1.8 billion cost-cutting plan, named project Evergreen, over the next two years.
Heineken’s UK operations will undergo restructuring across the business, meaning about four per cent (100 employees) of its 2,300-strong UK workforce will face redundancy.
During the pandemic, Heineken has suffered a loss due to the lockdowns and other coronavirus-related restrictions. Like many other businesses, they have felt the wrath of hospitality closures which put a dent in beer and cider sales volumes. 
A spokeswoman for the company states, “Clearly the on-trade side of the business has been more affected by the pandemic.”
Despite Heineken recording a significant increase in supermarket and shop sales, it did not make up for the on-trade decline. 
In 2020, their net revenues fell by 11.9 per cent to £17.3 billion. Its underlying operating profit was down by 35.6 per cent to £2.1 billion, and net profit halved to £1 billion as volumes fell by 9.8 per cent. 
The Dutch brewer, founded in 1864 which has more than 300 beers and ciders to its name, including Foster’s and Bulmer’s, expects the restrictions of 2021 to “continue to have a material impact”. 
Currently, the company operates in facilities in over 70 countries, employing more than 85,000 workers. 
However, with this £1.8 billion project, which aims to increase efficiency and productivity, around 20 per cent of Amsterdam-based employees will be cut in the first quarter. 
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