Discount grocery chain Aldi is hosting job fairs Thursday to fill store positions for its locations opening in Orange and Los Angeles counties.

Of the 11 job fairs, three will be held in Orange County. Anaheim, Buena Park and Fountain Valley will see Aldi stores debut in 2016 as the first wave of store openings in Southern California begins in March.

Aldi’s starting wage is $13 an hour and could reach $21 an hour for applicants with tenure, company representatives said.

The hiring events, which vary by location, are at:

• Anaheim Business Expo, 1960 S. Anaheim Way, 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Holiday Inn in Buena Park, 7000 Beach Blvd., 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

• Fountain Valley, 17070 Magnolia St., 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Aldi said it will hire more than 1,100 employees for its Southern California stores as well as its regional headquarters and warehouse in Moreno Valley.

Earlier this fall, the chain held a job fair for shift managers.

Aldi plans to open 45 stores in Southern California in 2016. So far, it has revealed 22 store locations in Southern California, including three in Orange County, eight in Los Angeles and 11 in the Inland Empire/Coachella Valley region.

The privately run Aldi has won the pocketbooks of budget-conscious shoppers by selling knockoffs of the nation’s most popular brands, such as Frosted Flakes and Velveeta cheese.

– Nancy Luna