Kansas State University

About the survey

The Rural Grocery Initiative at Kansas State University is conducting a research study that will survey all rural and independent grocery stores in Kansas. The purpose of this research is to gather key information on the characteristics and best practices of rural and independent grocery stores in Kansas. The information will be used to develop helpful resources for rural grocery stores. A similar survey was conducted in 2008 that led to the development of the Rural Grocery Toolkit.

Completing the survey

The survey will be mailed to grocery stores by early February 2021 and should be completed by the grocery store owner or a senior manager, who has primary responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the grocery store. This 20-minute survey asks a series of questions about your grocery store.

There are no right or wrong answers nor do we anticipate any risk associated with participating in the survey. Your participation is completely voluntary and you can stop at any time without explanation, penalty or loss of benefits. Completion and return of this questionnaire implies informed consent of your participation. 

We hope that you choose to share your experiences with us so that the Rural Grocery Initiative can continue to serve rural grocery stores in meaningful ways.

Use of this information

Responses to this survey will be used to characterize the state of rural and independent grocery in Kansas. A report will be created and shared through this website, the Rural Grocery Summit, and other affiliated outlets. 

Questions about this project can be directed to the Rural Grocery Initiative:

Dr. David Procter
Rural Grocery Initiative
116 Nichols Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-6868 

Questions about the research study can be directed to the University Institutional Review Board: