Heineken Mexico has launched an innovative hiring campaign aimed at Mexicans repatriated from the United States, in an effort to support their economic and social reintegration in the country.

Dubbed “Welcome Back, Paisano,” the campaign aligns with Heineken’s “Bringing a Better World” sustainability strategy, focusing on social impact and economic inclusion for vulnerable groups.

The program is driven by Heineken through the Tecate brand and Heineken’s chain of convenience stores in Mexico — SIX stores — in collaboration with Fundes, an NGO focused on economic and social inclusion. 

“What made us reflect on this issue was a number that is really more than just a number,” head of the Tecate brand Esteban Velasco said. “More than 160,000 people have been repatriated to Mexico in 2025. This is a large number, but beyond the number, there are many stories,” he added. 

The initiative integrates technical training, continuous support and access to job opportunities within the SIX and Heineken Mexico network, and will operate across three phases.

The first phase began in early 2026 with the opening of five SIX stores in the border cities of Tijuana and Ciudad Juárez. It created 15 jobs.

The program is now moving into a second phase, which aims to employ at least 130 people and open 10 additional SIX stores in the next 24 months. 

Inti Pérez, Director of Corporate Sustainability at Heineken Mexico said that these new stores will be located mainly in northern Mexico, as this region is home to a high number of repatriated people.

“We firmly believe that companies must be active agents in building solutions that generate real opportunities in the long term and in a sustainable way,” Pérez said, while adding that this initiative is a scalable model with the potential to be replicated in other regions of the country. 

Creatively, the campaign focuses on the idea that returning is not a failure, but a new beginning, as it celebrates the character, accumulated work experience and resilience of those who return. 

Marta García, Marketing VP at Heineken Mexico, said that the “Welcome Back, Paisano” campaign is an initiative that “reflects the character and courage of Tecate: being present when most needed and supporting Mexicans with concrete actions.”

With reports from El Economista and El Publicista