“We saw that a lot of the new normal was just like the old normal in that people were dying to go back to old habits,” said Carlos Brito, outgoing Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO.

The company’s stock has risen about 50 percent in the past 12 months.

Outgoing Anheuser-Busch InBev CEO Carlos Brito told CNBC last Friday that people have been eager to return to pre-pandemic drinking routines as coronavirus vaccinations picked up across the U.S. and bars and restaurants faced fewer restrictions.

“Once vaccines were being rolled out, we saw some states ahead of others and we saw how consumers were reacting to this new normal,” Brito told “Squawk Box.”  “And we saw that a lot of the new normal was just like the old normal in that people were dying to go back to old habits.”

Brito will be stepping down from his role tomorrow (July 1) after 15 years of leading the world’s largest beer brewer.

“Our guys in supply chain sales had to be very agile, very flexible,” Brito said. “There was a big shift in dislocation among channels, packaging, brands because consumers couldn’t buy in pubs and restaurants so they had to resort to grocery stores, and they found their way to loved products.”

Michel Doukeris, head of the company’s North American business, will take over from Brito.

Photo courtesy of AB InBev