Nestlé LayOff: Nestlé To Slash 16,000 Jobs Worldwide In Shocking Shake-Up!
In a shocking step move that sent shockwaves through the global job market, Swiss food and beverage giant Nestlé SA has announced it will cut 16,000 jobs across the globe over the next two years. That’s a staggering 6% of its entire workforce, gone. The layoffs come just weeks after new CEO Philipp Navratil took over and vowed sweeping reforms. From office desks to factory floors, no department appears safe. The drastic step is part of Nestlé’s aggressive plan to “change faster” and sharpen its focus on high-return products. Employees worldwide are bracing for impact.
Nestlé LayOff: New CEO Philipp Navratil’s Turnaround Strategy
New CEO Philipp Navratil, who took charge in September 2025, is pushing for a faster, performance-driven transformation. He stated:
“The world is changing, and Nestlé needs to change faster. This will include making hard but necessary decisions to reduce headcount.”
He stressed the need to embrace a “performance mindset” where “winning is rewarded and market share loss is not accepted.”
Who Will Be Affected By Nestlé Layoffs?
Of the total job cuts:
- 12,000 jobs will be white-collar roles (corporate and administrative functions).
- 4,000 positions will come from manufacturing, supply chain, and other operational areas.
Layoffs will affect employees across all countries where Nestlé operates, with no specific geography spared.
Timeline: When Will the Nestlé Layoffs Happen?
Nestlé has ensured that the 16,000 international layoffs will be implemented in a two-year time frame in a gradual manner.
This will be a gradual timeline to make the implementation process smoother and avoid, as much as possible, operations upheaval. The firm is trying to handle the transition in a delicate manner by coordinating the restructuring with its overall strategy of the Fuel for Growth.
Stages will be used to inform the employees based on their departments and regions. This long window is also likely to allow the company time to automate positions, refine operations, and in some cases, reassign some employees. The process will end by the year 2027.
Nestlé Layoffs: Strong Sales Amid Restructuring
Interestingly, the restructuring comes despite strong sales performance in the first nine months of 2025. Nestlé continues to perform well across major categories such as:
- Coffee (e.g., Nescafé)
- Confectionery (e.g., KitKat)
- Packaged Foods (e.g., Maggi)
Nestlé’s Big Savings Plan And Growth Strategy
So the crucks is, Nestlé plans to save CHF 1 billion every year by 2027 by cutting jobs. But, the company will spend about twice that amount on one-time costs to make these changes happen. Even with these costs, Nestlé is confident and aims to have free cash flow of over CHF 8 billion in 2025. They expect their growth to bounce back in 2026 and beyond.
These job cuts are part of Nestlé’s bigger “Fuel for Growth” plan. The company has raised its cost-saving goal from CHF 2.5 billion to CHF 3.0 billion by 2027. Nestlé wants to make its operations smoother by using more automation and focusing on products that bring the most profit, like coffee, sweets, and packaged foods. This plan will help Nestlé stay strong and grow in the future.
Also Read: