Following Boycotts Over Dylan Mulvaney Controversy, Anheuser-Busch Lays Off Nearly 400 Employees, Which it Claims Will Help it Focus on ‘Brewing Great Beer For Everyone’

Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Bud Light, has made the decision to lay off nearly 400 people after boycotts led to financial losses for the brand. (Photo: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

In a move to focus on “future long-term success,” Anheuser-Busch has made the decision to lay off approximately 380 employees after sales continue to dip for its Bud Light brand, according to an article published in USA Today on Thursday. The major dip in sales has been impacted by a consumer boycott led by conservatives following the beer brand’s decision to partner with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

In June, the brand was dethroned as America’s most popular beer due to the boycotts. The Mexican lager Modelo Especial ended up replacing Bud Light as the most popular beer in the country.

“While we never take these decisions lightly, we want to ensure that our organization continues to be set for future long-term success,” Chief Executive Brendan Whitworth at Anheuser-Busch said in a written statement sent to USA Today. “These corporate structure changes will enable our teams to focus on what we do best — brewing great beer for everyone.”

Anheuser-Busch stated that the job cuts would affect fewer than 2% of its employees and maintained that the warehouse staff, drivers and frontline employees would not be influenced by the layoffs.

As part of the layoffs, marketing and corporate roles are being eliminated at Anheuser-Busch’s major U.S. offices in New York and Los Angeles, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Bud Light partnered with Mulvaney as a part of a March Madness promotion, and the company faced backlash from conservative figures.

Bomb threats were reported at some Anheuser-Busch facilities in Los Angeles, and a consumer boycott ensued, leading to a drop in sales. The brand experienced revenue losses of 28.5%, and its “sister brands,” like Michelob Ultra, were also affected, according to the New York Post.

In an Instagram post in late June, Mulvaney shared that she felt abandoned by Bud Light after facing backlash and bullying.

“For a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse, in my opinion, than not hiring a trans person at all.”

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