Legendary English Premier League soccer club Manchester United has signed a multi-year deal with nutritional supplement firm IVC, making it the club’s first official Chinese wellness partner.

IVC, a leading player in the global nutritional supplement market, has an exclusive line of products tailored to the Chinese consumer.

As part of the deal, the company’s Mate brand series will launch products carrying the Manchester United crest. These include SportMate, a supplement improving muscle repair and supporting the metabolism, and DailyMate, supporting immune health and boosting energy levels.

"IVC and Manchester United have many things in common," said Chang Liang, president of IVC. "We believe health and nutrition is the key to a person’s wellbeing and Manchester United will help us communicate this to its millions of followers in China".

Founded in 1955 in the United States, IVC produces supplements for leading retailers in the US and nutritional, prescription and over-the-counter products for many global brands. In 2010, Aland (Jiangsu) Nutraceutical Group, from eastern China's Jiangsu province, acquired the company for a reported sum in excess of $63.4 million.

"As a professional sports club we understand the importance of living a healthy lifestyle," said Richard Arnold, Manchester United’s group managing director.