Founders First is optimistic about its momentum in the first quarter of the year according to a statement made to the ASX this morning as it announced a drinks industry veteran had joined the team.

The craft accelerator and hospitality business has seen wholesale beer sales grow 96.4 per cent in the first quarter of the new financial year.

This is from a low base however as the company was then in its acquisitive phase.

Venue operations continued to show “positive signs,” it said, trading at 60-80 per cent of pre-COVID-19 levels in its non-Victorian venues.

In addition, it has brought on Yolanda Uys as marketing and innovation director, who will start work in November.

Uys has been Coles Group’s general marketing manager for the past three years, leading the marketing strategy for Coles Liquor, according to the announcement to the ASX.

Prior to this, Uys worked at Woolworths Group for Dan Murphy’s.

Founders First CEO Mark Haysman said that she brings a “wealth of industry knowledge” to the team.

“With Yoland’s passion for building people and teams, and her proven track record on delivering ambitious marketing strategy outcomes, both in a physical and digital sense, we can’t wait to see what we can achieve together,” he said.

Founders First announced its maiden results in August following its stock exchange listing last year.

At the time, it reported a loss after income tax of $8.5 million after making major investments in the business over the year. It still had $11.4 million cash in hand at the end of the year.