The chief executive of Heineken, one of the world’s largest brewers, is stepping down after six years in the role as the company grapples with declining beer sales and shifting consumer habits.
Dolf van den Brink said his tenure at the Dutch brewer had been marked by “significant change,” as Heineken faces falling demand for alcoholic beer, rising costs, and tighter consumer spending. The company owns a wide portfolio of brands, including Birra Moretti, Cruzcampo, Amstel, Sol, Desperados, and Murphy’s Irish Stout, as well as ciders such as Strongbow and Bulmers.
Heineken issued a profit warning in October after reporting a 2.3% decline in beer volumes for the year to date. The brewer said sales are expected to fall further in 2026, with Europe and the United States among its weakest-performing markets.
Despite growing interest in low and no-alcohol drinks, Heineken’s own alcohol-free offering, Heineken 0.0, also recorded a drop in sales. Growth in markets such as Mexico and China has not been enough to offset weakness in Europe, where even traditionally strong beer markets like Germany are seeing consumers drink less alcohol.
Consumer analyst James Edwardes Jones of RBC Capital Markets said the leadership change was not unexpected. He said van den Brink arrived with high expectations but had not delivered the results investors were hoping for. He added that declining alcohol consumption among younger consumers, particularly Gen Z, posed a long-term risk to Heineken’s growth.
The company’s shares fell by around 3% following the announcement that van den Brink will step down in May.
Jonny Forsyth, principal strategist at Mintel Food and Drink, said that while non-alcoholic beer continues to grow as a category, Heineken will struggle unless it can revive demand for its core alcoholic beer. He added that the brand lacks a clear premium positioning compared with rivals such as Guinness, and said stronger advertising investment could be needed.
Founded more than 150 years ago in the Netherlands, Heineken is valued at billions of euros and remains one of the largest brewers in the world, but faces increasing pressure as global drinking habits continue to change.
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