( CNN ) -- Nadir Lalani , arrived in the United Kingdom in the recession-hit 1970s from Tanzania and started a small corner shop . Since then , he has expanded his successful budget retail business '99p Stores ' , throughout the country . The stores , where everything is sold for 99 pence and are equivalent to dollar stores in the United States , have grown rapidly especially during the global downturn . Lalani now operates more than 100 stores in Britain and serves around 1.5 million customers each week . Times are tough on the British High street but Lalani has managed to open 40 new stores in one year as a growing number of consumers go on the hunt for a bargain . Lalani , who is of Pakistani origin , shares his experience of building a recession-proof business with CNN 's Erin Maclaughlin in this edited version of their conversation below . CNN : How successful is this business ? Nadir Lalani : I would say we are very very successful today . Our growth is very , very good compared to anybody else . We bring 2,000 people , customers to our store minimum . 2,000 customers a day is a lot . And once people do come , they stick with us . Because we sell very , very cheap quality good stuff . CNN : You have gone from running a corner shop to a massively successful business in the middle of economic downturn . What are some of the secrets to your success ? Nadir Lalani : Key to our success is 'buying ' . We make very fast decisions . Whatever people want to sell . They say we want to get rid of this stock . And we buy those stocks straight away . So no , we do n't mess about it . CNN : What is your strategy ? How do you get your prices so low ? Nadir Lalani : The prices we sell at , nobody can match us , we sell much cheaper than any of the multipurpose -- the brand we bring in , the price -- so people just come in , you will see in just a few minutes , hundreds of people , hundreds of people literally . See also : Worst of times prove best for luxury brands . CNN : How has Britain 's economic downturn been a catalyst for your success ? Nadir Lalani : With the downturn , we find it more and more ... the middle class people are coming in our store and then they come in and they are surprised what they have been paying Tesco . The prices are so much cheaper , and it is the same brand . Because we sell a lot of branded products . CNN : Do you think the economic downturn has helped your business model in some ways ? Nadir Lalani : Yeah ... to certain extent , yes , definitely . Like , if you look at November , Britain 's retail sales were down . We were seven percent up , like for like , which is very , very good in this climate . There are very few companies who would have achieved that . CNN : And why is that ? Nadir Lalani : It 's just the product . What we offer to our customer , is unbelievable value . Even a multimillionaire likes a bargain . CNN : How has your experience in Africa aided the growth of your business ? Nadir Lalani : You see in Africa , when you do business , it 's more trading , and the trading element helps us a lot here . We are just traders . Buy cheap , sell cheap . See also : Agriculture must play 'critical role ' in Africa 's future . CNN : How do you view the African market ? Nadir Lalani : I would like to go back and invest there . CNN : And why do you think it 's a good place to invest ? Nadir Lalani : Because the market is still young . There are a lot potentials there . I am looking for a moment to invest there you know . Manufacturing , that 's what they need . Because they do n't want to spend their currency , foreign exchange importing . They need manufacture locally , they need industry in Africa . So they can be more dependable on themselves .
Anand Lal , founder of 99p , talks about growing a business in recession . Lalani says the key to the success of his business is making fast decisions in buying . Recession helps his business grow as it profits from offering better products , says Lal . Lalani says he is also looking for opportunities in investing in manufacturing in India .