How well are Kansas grocery stores doing right now? Best in the nation, study says

Anecdotal evidence seems to show that grocery stores in Kansas are doing well during the coronavirus outbreak, and now there’s empirical evidence, too.

The website Stacker, which regularly analyzes various industries, reported on grocery store sales for the week ending April 2 and compared them to the same period in 2019.

Kansas tops the list at No. 1 for grocery sales increases — with a 69% jump.

Oklahoma isn’t far behind at No. 7 with a 50% increase.

A lot of grocers seem to be doing very well, Stacker reported, but it said, “Not every state’s grocery stores have seen the same level of crowds and hoarding, though.”

At No. 50, Delaware’s grocery sales are 57% down.

States around Kansas have had mixed results. Missouri is tied with Idaho at No. 39 with a 1% increase.

Texas is at No. 22 with a 26% increase while Colorado is at No. 47 with a 17% drop in sales, and Nebraska is at No. 45 with a 10% drop.

Dillons spokeswoman Sheila Lowrie won’t discuss the chain’s sales numbers, but she does give some information on what customers are buying.

According to information Dillons has compiled, shoppers are changing their habits while working from home. Instead of shopping on the weekends, they’re turning into weekday shoppers. Still, the chain reports that Monday is when stores are the least crowded.

Pickup orders have doubled, Lowrie said.

The pandemic apparently is not inspiring healthy eating. Comfort foods are what shoppers are turning to.

Sales of breakfast foods are up with more people taking time to make full breakfasts that include bacon, eggs, sausage and pancakes.

Other hot sellers include pizza, frozen novelties, ice cream and — perhaps not surprisingly — full-strength beer.

This story was originally published April 20, 2020 at 2:27 PM.