On October 20,  Molson Coors Beverage Company, the second largest brewer in the US and home to major beer brands like Coors Light, Miller Lite, and Molson Canadian, announced that it will eliminate approximately 400 salaried positions in its Americas operations by the end of the year as part of a broader restructuring.

And here’s why…

Restructuring in a Challenging Market

The job cuts amount to roughly 9 % of Molson Coors’ salaried workforce in the Americas, the company said.

Newly appointed CEO Rahul Goyal, who took the helm of  Molson Coors on October 1, stated that although progress has been made in the company’s transformation, the current market environment demands faster action….

“To win with our customers and consumers and return to growth, we must move with urgency and make bolder decisions, Goyal stressed in a statement. “These are never easy decisions.”

Molson Coors cited “macro-economic pressures,” weakening consumer spending and tariff headwinds — especially on aluminum used for beverage cans — as key catalysts for the move.”

Focus Shift: Beyond Beer

The company said the cuts would enable reinvestment in priority areas such as its core beer brands, as well as growth segments like non-alcoholic beverages, energy drinks, and premium mixers.

“We are moving quickly and intentionally on a long-term, achievable strategy that continues our journey to become a total beverage company Goyal added, and that we believe puts us on the path to sustainable growth.”

Financial Impact and Timing

Molson Coors anticipates restructuring charges in the range of US$35 million to US$50 million in the fourth quarter, primarily tied to severance and post-employment benefits for affected employees.

According to the New York Post “the mass layoffs across the region, which includes the US, Canada and Latin America, come as the Chicago-based brewing company announced in August that it expected its sales to tumble between 3% and 4% this year, thanks to a weaker demand for beer.

Molson Coors emphasized that some of the positions to be eliminated were already vacant as part of earlier role-prioritization efforts, and that voluntary severance offers would be part of the process.

What It Means for Employees and the Beer Industry

For employees, the news signals a significant event: a meaningful reduction in salaried roles and a clear signal of the company’s intent to “right-size” its operations amid shifting consumer behavior.

For the broader beverage industry, it underscores how legacy brewers are under pressure to adapt — not just to changing taste preferences, but also to cost pressures and global supply-chain challenges.

The cuts come at a time when many brewers in the beverage space are branching beyond traditional beer into mixers, non-alcoholic options, and other beverages. And Molson Coors’ announcement aligns with that trend.

“Molson Coors expects to incur one-time charges of $35 million to $50 million related to the restructuring, primarily for cash severance and post-employment benefits,” according to HRD. “Most of these costs will be recognized in the fourth quarter of 2025, with payments expected to be distributed over the following year.”

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