South Korean pharmaceutical company Cho-A-Pharm has signed a sponsorship deal with the world’s most famous football club, Manchester United.

Cho-A will become Manchester United's official pharmaceuticals partner in Korea and Vietnam and the pact will see club imagery placed on the company’s products including nutritional and dietary supplements as well as over-the-counter medicines. Cho-A makes over 200 products, exporting to more than 20 countries, while domestically they are distributed by MediPharm, the company's wholly-owned subsidiary and the biggest pharmacy chain in South Korea with a network of over 1,000 outlets.

Cho-A added that it will also introduce various integrated marketing and social initiatives in Korea and Vietnam and will collaborate closely in various activities including the Manchester United Soccer School programme. Chief executive Seong-Hwan Cho said the firm was proud to be partnering with “one of the most prestigious football clubs in the world”, adding that “we look forward to generating consumers' interest in our brand and products by leveraging Manchester United's strong global brand equity”.

The football giant’s managing director Richard Arnold said that “with over 40 million Manchester United followers in South Korea and Vietnam, Cho-A gives us another fantastic opportunity to engage our fans in the region." The club told PharmaTimes that the pact will initially run for three-and-a-half years sand confirmed that financial terms of the pact have not been disclosed.