DemandTec, Inc., a San Mateo, California-based retail forecasting software provider, will soon open an office in downtown Minneapolis. The company has yet to announce a date for the opening.

DemandTec says that a dedicated Twin Cities office will help the company better serve its local customers, which include Best Buy, Target, General Mills and Advance Auto Parts.

The new office will initially house 10 Twin Cities-area employees who've been out working in the field and from their homes. Those employees work in various departments, including professional services, customer support, engineering, and finance. Michael Bromme, senior vice president of retail, will oversee daily operations.

Armen Najarian, a spokesman for DemandTec, said the company is optimistic about further expanding its customer base in the region, which would lead to more job openings later on. The company currently has one dedicated job opening in the new Minneapolis office and several additional openings that are not location-specific and could be housed in Minneapolis as well.

“We've been on the ground in the Minneapolis area for several years because it's a key location for some of the world's most innovative retail and consumer products companies,” Bromme said in a statement. “We look forward to expanding our network of customers, partners, and new employees throughout the region.”

DemandTec's software helps retailers and consumer products companies gather data and develop pricing, promotion, and merchandising strategies in order to achieve sales volume, revenue, shopper loyalty, and profitability objectives. The company serves 340 retailers and operates regional field and research and development facilities in London; Paris; Los Angeles; Shanghai, China; Bangalore, India; and Moscow.