SignalDemand: Using math to solve food problems?

So far this year, it's been quite volatile in the food markets -- putting lots of pressure on the supply chain. But, there is help from an upstart company, SignalDemand, which uses complex algorithms to manage pricing, supply utilization, and product mixes. In fact, some of the customers include Cargill, Farmland Foods, Hormel and Ventura Foods.

Actually, SignalDemand recently snagged $20 million in venture capital from InterWest Partners, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, General Catalyst and Catamount Ventures.

"With our software, we can add 2% to 4% to the bottom-line," said Michael Neal, the CEO and founder. I recently met up with him while in San Francisco.

No doubt, Neal is one of the thought leaders in the data analytics space. He cofounded DemandTec (Nasdaq: DMAN), which is the largest provider of Consumer Demand Management (CDM) software for retail price and promotion optimization. He even holds a variety of patents.

Interestingly enough, in his office, you will find a chalk board – with many equations. What's more, SignalDemand's employees are a high-caliber group, with economists and statisticians. Yes, this is certainly a next-generation company.

"I think that analytics companies are the next big opportunity," said Neal. "Just look at the impact on financial services, airlines and hotels. We will see mathematical approaches applied to many other industries, such as cattle, lumber and so on."

Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The Complete M&A Handbook and The Edgar Online Guide to Decoding Financial Statements. He also operates MergerBook.com.