Meet the Team

At J.J. Sandham, our passion for cheesemaking is driven by the dedicated people behind the scenes. From our expert cheesemakers to our hardworking support team, every member plays a vital role in upholding our proud tradition of crafting award-winning Lancashire cheese.

With nearly a century of heritage, our team combines generations of knowledge with modern expertise to deliver the quality and care you expect from J.J. Sandham. Get to know the faces behind your favourite cheeses—each with a unique story, but all sharing the same commitment to excellence.

  • Chris Sandham

    CHAIRMAN

    Chris came into the family business at the age of 16, where he learned all the time-honored family skills from his father, also named Chris. He took over the running of the business in the early 1990s and worked hard to maintain the tradition and quality expected from a third-generation family business.


    It was Chris’s decision to start making vegetarian cheese in 1986, and that same year, he developed a whole range of blended cheeses, which remain immensely popular today. In 1996, he began getting cheese smoked for customer supply. Seeing the demand, he invested in the business’s first smoking kiln in the summer of 2000, followed by a second kiln in 2014. A third, even larger smoking kiln was installed in 2023, increasing the smoking capacity to 40 tonnes per week—you could say it was one of his better ideas!

  • Michelle Gates

    MANAGING DIRECTOR

    Michelle joined JJ Sandham in 2017 on a part-time basis, gradually working her way up the ranks. She became Commercial Director in 2020 and was promoted to Managing Director in 2023. With over 25 years of sales and customer service experience, Michelle brings a positive, ‘can do’ attitude and is always available to discuss new ideas, proposals, and requirements.

    When asked what JJ Sandham means to her, Michelle says, “We are a small, friendly team, each one of us playing a vital role in running a successful, reputable business. I am very proud of the team, our ability to adapt quickly and develop in the ever-changing industry, whilst maintaining a friendly but professional approach."

    Her passion for the business is unwavering, and she feels incredibly lucky to genuinely love coming to work every day. She proudly states, "We are the biggest and best dairy-only smokehouse in the UK, and my ambition is to be the biggest in Europe."

    When not working, you’ll find Michelle either cooking in her kitchen or pottering about in the garden—usually with a glass of wine!

  • Faye Kitching

    PRODUCTION & QUALITY MANAGER

    Faye joined the business in April 2023, after running her own Organic family dairy for more than 20 years & her
    knowledge of the cheese & dairy industry is second to none. Faye manages the daily production plan of the factory, spinning all the plates to make everything run smoothly and just....happen.


    With her dedication to quality & food safety, as well as hosting audits and technical visits, Faye is driving the business forward with her beaming smile and wicked sense of humour, as well as being the caring colleague and friend to all.


    When not working, Faye loves line dancing, walks around the beautiful Ribble Valley and supporting animal welfare charities.

  • Stuart Greenwood

    SMOKEHOUSE MANAGER

    After a successful career in Engineering, Stuart joined the Management team in December 2022.

    As well as running and maintaining all 3 of our smokers, he is responsible for planning the (very!) busy smoking schedule and ensuring each of our customer specifications are met to achieve the perfect shape, flavour and colour profile of their cheese.


    40 tonnes of cheese each week is no mean feat, but Stuarts relaxed and laid back personality, means he takes everything in his stride.
    When asked what he loves most about his role, Stuart says its the people & how we all pull together to get the job done.

    Stuart loves nature, his dogs, the countryside & spending quality time with his young family.

  • Debbie Bradshaw

    OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR

    Debs started at JJ Sandham in April 2023, bringing some much needed admin support to our ever expanding business and workload. Debs is organised and meticulous and adds a calming influence to the chaos of our busy office.


    Debs is the voice at the end of the telephone and loves nothing more than chatting to get to know our customers and their requirements. If there is a tricky task to undertake, you can guarantee there will be a spreadsheet and cup of tea involved, as Debs keeps us all in tow with her intricate filing systems.
    When not working, Debs lives the high life of weekends away, fine wines and as many holidays as she can manage.

  • Steve Fuller

    DRIVER

    Steve joined the team in 2020 on a temporary basis to cover holidays. Fast forward to 2021 and he loved it so much that he joined us permanently. Having retired from over 25 years in teaching, Steve enjoys nothing more than jumping in his van and heading out across the country, taking everything in his stride.


    With a love of Whisky, Golf and Motorbikes, Steve is a great addition to the team and is always ready to greet you with a smile.