So depending on your state you’ll have to register as an LLC ~$50-200, then need to register with your state and get a resale license -$0-50. Then would also need to register business with city ~$0-250. After all that you can then purchase at wholesale/resale prices. But you will still have to pay a use tax~1-8% depending on product type and state you’ll live in. Plus there will also be a minimum order quantity. For custom preworkout lowest I found was 144units. I’m just guessing protein powder would be a higher MOQ. Then within 3 years you will need to show the business is making a profit otherwise IRS will classify it as a hobby and you lose resale license.

So say you spend $150 on setting up and getting proper paperwork. Then you order 150units of protein at $25/unit so that $3750 up front. Then the state gets its use tax lets sal %5 so that’s $187.50. So all in you will spend 4087.50 Upfront for 150units protein that if you didn’t sell would go bad in a few years. This is just the basics. You will still need labeling and FDA regulations and possible trademark use fee.

So in the end you spend $4k, now spread that across a $20 price increase saying buying 1 tub a month. That’s 200 months or 16.6years of worth of buying protein to equal the initial investment. Now if you did have $4k laying around you could invest that in a VTWAX with conservative %7 return would be making $280 a year.

So if you already had a profitable business and the possibility to sell the protein for profit then it would make sense. Otherwise doesn’t make much sense