Which is the most profitable retail chain in India?

CSD was created to provide easy access to quality products of daily use, at prices less than market rates to the soldiers, ex-servicemen and their families

Is it D'Mart, Kishore Biyani promoted the Future Retail or Mukesh Ambani promoted Reliance Retail? The answer is a resounding no.

According to a report published in The Economic Times, the Canteen Stores Department, a not-for-profit organisation under the defence ministry, earned Rs 236 crore (Rs 2.36 billion) during FY14-15, which is far more than D'Mart's Rs 211 crore (Rs 2.11 billion), Future Retail's Rs 153 crore (Rs 1.53 billion) and Reliance Retail's Rs 159 crore (Rs 1.59 billion).

The ET report further adds that in terms of sales, too, CSD fared well. With a revenue of Rs 13,709 crore (Rs 137.09 billion) it trailed only Future Group and Reliance Retail.

The defence canteen stores sell more than 5,000 items ranging from toiletries to liquor to food and medicinal items to cars and two-wheelers.

Started in 1948, CSD boasts of over 12 million customers comprising personnel of the army, navy and air force, ex-servicemen and their families.

The report further points out that it is the biggest customer across South Asia for Hindustan Unilever, India's largest FMCG company, and United Spirits Ltd.