Essensa, a national group purchasing organization, is pleased to announce a five-year renewal of its agreement with Minor League Baseball™ (MiLB™). This extension will provide MiLB with discounts on a wide variety of products and services used in day-to-day business operations, such as foodservice, office supplies, telecommunications equipment, laundry services and facility management.

Essensa’s affiliation with Premier (NASDAQ:PINC) will offer MiLB further access to an extensive, competitively priced portfolio, unique contract enhancements and rebates, as well as regional contracts to meet specific needs. Essensa will also regularly analyze the organization’s total business spend, track spending patterns, identify savings opportunities and ensure that MiLB and its leagues and clubs that elect to participate are paying consistently lower prices for the same products.

“Essensa has helped MiLB streamline and reduce costs in procuring goods and services since 2010,” said John P. Sganga, President & CEO, Essensa. “As we enter into this extension, we are committed to building on that foundation and looking for new ways to assist MiLB with their supply chain so that they can better serve their fans.”

In the four years since the initial agreement, Essensa has signed 114 MiLB teams, resulting in more than $16 million in purchasing volume through Essensa’s contracted vendors.

“We have a long-standing, mutually beneficial relationship with Essensa and are pleased to grow our partnership with them through this contract extension,” said Pat O’Conner, President & CEO of Minor League Baseball. “Essensa has proven itself to be the solution for top-quality group purchasing and business solutions and through this relationship, Minor League Baseball can continue to operate more competitively in a variety of business areas.”

As part of its agreement with MiLB, Essensa will become a sponsor of the Baseball Winter Meetings, the annual convention attended by both Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball executives held in December.

About Essensa: Essensa is the newest and fastest-growing GPO delivering procurement solutions, supply chain efficiencies, and greater operating margins to members nationwide. Essensa members have access to a $43 billion portfolio composed of 2,000 contracts through more than 900 suppliers. With value-added services, including the Employee Discount Program, complimentary publications, regular contract updates, and exceptional customer service and support staff, Essensa is the clear choice to make a real impact on expenses. For more information, visit www.essensa.org.

About Minor League Baseball: Minor League Baseball, headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, is the governing body for all professional baseball teams in the United States, Canada, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic that are affiliated with Major League Baseball clubs through their farm systems. Fans are coming out in unprecedented numbers to this one-of-a-kind experience that can only be found at Minor League Baseball ballparks. In 2013, Minor League Baseball attracted more than 41 million fans to its ballparks to see the future stars of the sport hone their skills. From the electricity in the stands to the excitement on the field, Minor League Baseball has provided affordable family-friendly entertainment to people of all ages since its founding in 1901. For more information about Minor League Baseball, visit www.MiLB.com.