FFF Enterprises Receives Premier, Inc. Award for Operational Excellence

TEMECULA, CALIF., June 16, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FFF Enterprises announced today that it is a winner of Premier, Inc.'s Supplier Legacy Award, one of 13 suppliers to receive the award this year. Winners are recognized for their long-standing support of Premier members through exceptional local customer service and engagement, value creation through clinical excellence and commitment to lower costs. Premier, a leading healthcare improvement company uniting an alliance of approximately 3,000 U.S. hospitals and 110,000 other providers, contracts with more than 1,100 suppliers.

"FFF has been committed to supply chain safety and efficiency for over 25 years. It is an honor to be recognized in this category for supplier excellence," said Patrick M. Schmidt, chief executive officer, FFF Enterprises, Inc.

Schmidt accepted the award at Premier's 2014 annual Breakthroughs Conference and Exhibition in San Antonio. The award ceremony was held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center on Wednesday, June 11.

"FFF Enterprises has supported Premier members for years by offering valuable products and services that help to lower supply chain costs and improve operating efficiencies," said Durral R. Gilbert, president of supply chain services, Premier. "They've also supported alliance members during periods of increased need at a local level. We're honored to recognize them as one of the first Legacy Award recipients."

The following criteria are taken into consideration for suppliers that are actively engaged with the alliance, are committed to lowering costs through pricing and supply chain efficiencies, have been able to offer value based on individualized needs and situations, and have demonstrated corporate responsibility at community levels through assistance during disasters, scholarship support, volunteer activities, grants, etc.:

• Length of supplier engagement with Premier
• Supplier's commitment to lowering costs for Premier members
• Breakthroughs attendance
• Sales volume
• Market value provided by the contract
• Corporate citizenship

About FFF Enterprises

FFF Enterprises is the largest and most trusted distributor of plasma products, vaccines and other specialty pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals in the U.S. Founded in 1988, FFF is now in its 26th year with more than a billion dollars in annual sales and a flawless safety track record. FFF has taken a leadership position in regard to supply chain safety and innovation, setting new standards and pioneering industry firsts. FFF's commitment to Guaranteed Channel Integrity™ ensures that products are purchased only from the manufacturer and shipped only to healthcare providers, with additional steps taken to safely store, handle and ship products to ensure patient safety is never compromised. Together with its Verified Inventory Program-Consignment (VIPc)™ that provides real-time inventory management utilizing advanced RFID technology, FFF's proprietary systems, Verified Electronic Pedigree™ and Lot-Track™, provide verification of FFF's secure channel. In addition, FFF's MyFluVaccine (www.MyFluVaccine.com) and VaxAmerica (www.VaxAmerica.com) are revolutionary vaccination programs that have added a new level of safety, convenience and reliability for both healthcare providers and consumers.

About Premier, Inc.

Premier, Inc. is a leading healthcare improvement company, uniting an alliance of approximately 3,000 U.S. hospitals and 110,000 other providers to transform healthcare. With integrated data and analytics, collaboratives, supply chain solutions, and advisory and other services, Premier enables better care and outcomes at a lower cost. Premier, a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient, plays a critical role in the rapidly evolving healthcare industry, collaborating with members to co-develop long-term innovations that reinvent and improve the way care is delivered to patients nationwide. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier is passionate about transforming American healthcare. Please visit Premier's news and investor sites on www.premierinc.com; as well as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Foursquare and Premier's blog for more information about the company.