this product in both comparisons resulted from the shutdown of our peanut shelling plant in Bainbridge, Georgia to install new shelling equipment. The shutdown commenced in July and ended in December of the current fiscal year. Excluding changes in peanut crushing stock, total Company sales volume in the quarterly comparison increased 1.1% and was relatively unchanged in theyear-to-date comparison; and sales volume in the commercial ingredients channel for the quarterly comparison declined 3.9% and was relatively unchanged in the year to date comparison.
Gross Profit
Gross profit increased by $5.2 million, or 13.6%, to $42.9 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2019 compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2018. Our gross profit margin, as a percentage of net sales, increased to 16.9% for the second quarter of fiscal 2019 compared to 14.6% for the second quarter of fiscal 2018. The increases in gross profit and gross profit margin were mainly due to decreased commodity acquisition costs for pecans, walnuts and peanuts.
Gross profit increased by $3.0 million, or 4.1%, to $75.8 million for the firsttwenty-six weeks of fiscal 2019 compared to the firsttwenty-six weeks of fiscal 2018. Our gross profit margin increased to 16.6% for the firsttwenty-six weeks of fiscal 2019 compared to 15.4% for the firsttwenty-six weeks of fiscal 2018. The increases in gross profit and gross profit margin in the year to date comparison occurred primarily due to lower acquisition costs for pecans and peanuts.
Operating Expenses
Total operating expenses for the second quarter of fiscal 2019 increased by $2.6 million, or 11.1%, to $26.2 million. Operating expenses for the second quarter of fiscal 2019 increased to 10.4% of net sales from 9.1% of net sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2018.
Selling expenses for the second quarter of fiscal 2019 were $18.2 million, an increase of $2.3 million, or 14.8%, from the second quarter of fiscal 2018. The increase was driven primarily by a $1.1 million increase in incentive and base compensation expense, a $0.8 million increase in freight expense due to rising costs in the transportation industry compared to the same period last year, and a $0.2 million increase in advertising expense to support our newOven Roasted Never FriedFisher snack line.
Administrative expenses for the second quarter of fiscal 2019 were $8.1 million compared to $7.8 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2018. A $0.9 million increase in incentive compensation expense and a $0.5 million increase in amortization expense that is associated with the Acquisition were offset by a $0.5 million decrease of Acquisition-related transaction expenses, and a decrease of $0.4 million in personnel expense.
Total operating expenses for the firsttwenty-six weeks of fiscal 2019 increased by $8.0 million, or 19.5%, to $49.1 million. Operating expenses increased to 10.7% of net sales for the first half of fiscal 2019 compared to 8.7% of net sales for the first half of fiscal 2018.
Selling expenses for the firsttwenty-six weeks of fiscal 2019 were $32.3 million, an increase of $5.5 million, or 20.4%, from the amount recorded for the firsttwenty-six weeks of fiscal 2018. The increase was driven primarily by a $2.1 million increase in compensation related expenses, primarily incentive compensation expense, a $1.8 million increase in freight expense due to rising costs in the transportation industry and a $1.0 million increase in advertising expense to support our newOven Roasted Never FriedFisher snack line.
Administrative expenses for the firsttwenty-six weeks of fiscal 2019 were $16.9 million, an increase of $2.5 million, or 17.7%, compared to the same period of fiscal 2018. The increase was driven primarily by a $1.8 million increase in compensation related expenses, primarily incentive compensation expense, and a $1.4 million increase in amortization expense that is associated with the Acquisition, partially offset by a $0.5 million decrease in personnel expense.
Income from Operations
Due to the factors discussed above, income from operations was $16.6 million, or 6.6% of net sales, for the second quarter of fiscal 2019 compared to $14.1 million, or 5.4% of net sales, for the second quarter of fiscal 2018.
Due to the factors discussed above, income from operations was $26.7 million, or 5.8% of net sales, for the firsttwenty-six weeks of fiscal 2019 compared to $31.7 million, or 6.7% of net sales, for the firsttwenty-six weeks of fiscal 2018.
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