Anheuser-Busch slashes jobs in US over sales decline

Belgian brewing major Anheuser-Busch InBev is reducing its workforce and consolidating its sales div…

Belgian brewing major Anheuser-Busch InBev is reducing its workforce and consolidating its sales division in the US, citing slump in sales volume.

The move will affect employees from various divisions such as marketing and procurement, sales and brewery operations.

However, the number of employees being slashed was not disclosed.

Anheuser-Busch employs 15,000 employees in the US and reported 2.1% decline in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation in the region for the first nine months of 2014.

The company is also reducing the number of sales regions from eight to seven which will be effective 1 January 2015.

Anheuser-Busch was quoted by The Wall Street Journal as saying that the layoffs follow a detailed business review and reductions have been minimised as much as possible.

Commenting on the layoffs, Anheuser-Busch People vice president Jim Brickey said: "These are always difficult decisions, but are important in evolving our business and improving our competitiveness."