Red Stripe adds digital backbone, part of wider AI push by Heineken parent

Red Stripe brewery and a handful of other Heineken NV subsidiaries went live on a new enterprise-wide digital platform in the first half of 2026, part of a technology push.

The platform, known internally as the ‘Digital Backbone’, integrates production, inventory, warehousing, logistics and order management into a single connected system. Heineken said in its half-year report released on Wednesday that deployments went live in “Jamaica, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea” during the period, improving process standardisation, data governance and enterprise connectivity across markets.

Heineken acquired Desnoes & Geddes, which owns Red Stripe, in 2015.

At the same time, the company accelerated AI adoption beyond commerce, embedding artificial intelligence (AI) into procurement, supply chain and support functions. AI-enabled capabilities are now supporting sourcing, contracting, spend analytics and operational workflows, with what the company described as Agentic AI and automation helping to improve productivity and identify value opportunities. In supply chain, connected operations platforms and advanced planning tools are improving visibility, forecasting and decision-making.

Harold van den Broek, chief financial officer, said the company took significant steps during the half-year to build the capabilities needed to sustain growth.

“We took further significant steps to boost productivity and build future-fit capabilities, ensuring we drive further growth efficiently,” van den Broek said. “This performance reflects the quality of our growth, the resilience of our advantaged footprint, and our ability to adapt and execute in a dynamic environment.”

The digital upgrades sit within a broader technology acceleration that includes MyFreddyai, an artificial intelligence platform supporting commercial teams with consumer insights, and Allocationai, a predictive analytics tool that optimises marketing spend and sponsorship investments. Together, these initiatives form a central pillar of the company’s EverGreen 2030 strategy, which targets annual gross savings of €400 million to €500 million.

The group, based in the Netherlands, reported net profit of €1.12 billion for the six-month period on revenue of €14.83 billion. For the first quarter, Heineken did not release net profit figures, in keeping with European large entities. Diluted earnings per share climbed 11.6 per cent to €2.29.

“We delivered volume growth and robust operating profit expansion, with all five global brands in growth and good momentum in our premium and beyond beer portfolios,” van den Broek said.

Asia Pacific was the standout performer, with net revenue up 10.5 per cent and operating profit rising 17.7 per cent on the back of strong results from Vietnam, India and China. Africa and the Middle East posted operating profit growth of 30.8 per cent, driven by Nigeria and Ethiopia.

In the Americas, which includes Jamaica, the star performer was Haiti, with sales up at double-digit levels, but overall, the region posted flat net revenue and a 3.4 per cent decline in total volume amid subdued consumer sentiment. Operating profit nonetheless rose 2.2 per cent, supported by price-mix gains and productivity initiatives.

Heineken reduced its workforce by roughly 3,000 full-time positions during the

half-year as part of planned organisational changes, including the consolidation of nine European operating companies into four multi-market organisations. The company is also downsizing its Amsterdam head office by roughly one-third.

Free operating cash flow totaled €1.38 billion from €257 million a year earlier, lifted by working capital improvements and lower capital expenditure.

“We are confident in our strategy and progress, yet remain prudent, given ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty,” van den Broek said. “We reiterate our full-year operating profit growth guidance of 2 per cent to 6 per cent.”

A new chief executive, Rafa Oliveira, is scheduled to take the helm on October 1.

“Mr. Oliveira’s remuneration is in accordance with the executive board remuneration policy. The fixed remuneration includes a management fee in the amount of €1.8 million gross per annum and a non-qualified pension contribution of 18 per cent of the management fee,” according to notices from the extraordinary general meeting held this month.

business@gleanerjm.com