Beer maker Anheuser-Busch will lay off hundreds of employees across its U.S. corporate staff as part of a restructuring intended to "simplify and reduce layers within its organization,” acoording to a company statement. First reported by CNN, the action will not include brewery or warehouse staff or other frontline employees, the company said.
In a statement, St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch said the restructuring includes the elimination of positions across every corporate function, representing less than 2% of its U.S. employee population, or about 400 positions.
“Today we took the very difficult but necessary decision to eliminate a number of positions across our corporate organization,” said CEO Brendan Whitworth. “While we never take these decisions lightly, we want to ensure that our organization continues to be set for future long-term success. These corporate structure changes will enable our teams to focus on what we do best--brewing great beer for everyone and earning our place in the moments that matter.”
The action comes after a challenging period for A-B, which was the subject of a consumer boycott of its Bud Light in response to the brand partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Bud Light had been the best-selling beer in the United States for more than two decades until earlier this year when Mexican import Modelo Especial took the top spot.
Store sales of Modelo Especial rose 14.4% in the four weeks ending May 21 compared to the same period in 2022, according to data provided to CSP from Circana, a Chicago-based market research firm. In the same period, Bud Light fell 22.7%. Modelo is distributed by Constellation Brands in the U.S.
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